A California Target is facing a lawsuit from the family of a former employee who says he took his own life after being forced to participate in a humiliating “walk of shame” through the store in handcuffs.
The woman who filed the lawsuit claims that her late son, a 22-year-old former cashier at the store was shamed in front of his fellow employees when managers allegedly forced him to parade around in cuffs, reports NBC Los Angeles.
That morning, the lawsuit says he was met immediately upon arriving at work and, upon the direction of two of the store’s management staff, he was put in cuffs and led in front of other workers to an office. After allegedly being interrogated, the suit says he was walked back out to a patrol car in handcuffs and fired, but never charged for any crime.
He “was shocked, confused and mortified at being handcuffed and walked through the Target store in front of co-workers and customers,” the suit states and he “had no idea why he was being arrested.”
The lawsuit alleges that this “walk of shame” event is a Target policy “to purposely cause shame, embarrassment and emotional distress to any Target employee who is suspected of stealing from Target.”
Three days after, he jumped to his death from the roof of a hotel.
“I don’t want any other mother to have to go through what I’ve gone through,” his mother said. “This is my only child.”
Her lawsuit alleges false imprisonment, negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Target Corp. headquarters issued a statement offering its condolences to the family, and denied to NBC4 that there is any “walk of shame” policy.
“Our thoughts and sympathies go out to the friends and family of this individual,” a Target spokesman said. “As this is pending litigation, we don’t have further comment at this time.”
“My Only Child”: Mom Sues Target Over Son’s Suicide [NBC4]
by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist
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