Winnipeg woman appalled after grandson with cerebral palsy accused of stealing employee’s phone at Walmart
A Winnipeg woman is calling on Walmart for an apology after her grandson, who has cerebral palsy and is non-verbal, was accused of stealing an employee's phone in October.
Joyce Stevenson was told by a caregiver that her grandson Mathew, 30, was accused at the Walmart on Regent Avenue on Oct. 15.
Stevenson was told that Mathew and the caregiver were going to the washroom at the store when there was banging on the handicapped stall and a woman was yelling that her phone had been stolen.
"As I was opening the door to figure out what was going on, she had pushed the door open and it had hit Mathew in the head," the caregiver said.
The caregiver said Mathew was fine and that his head was a little red after the incident. She then told the woman, who was an employee, that there was no phone in the washroom and they didn't have the phone either.
Stevenson said when she heard what happened, she was extremely upset.
"Mathew does not know how to steal anything, he is non-verbal," said Stevenson, "He doesn't understand stuff like that."
Mathew and the caregiver were approached by security after leaving the washroom but were allowed to leave a short time later.
The caregiver then spoke to a manager at the store, but she said, "He didn't seem too concerned about the issue at all."
She has reached out to Walmart Canada's complaint line and even sent an email to the CEO.
The caregiver received a call from another manager last week, a month after the incident, saying it was the first he had heard of it and it was being looked into.
Stevenson says it's not right that it has taken this long to hear something from the store and she feels an apology is needed at the very least.
"I'm still upset about it. I think they should do something about that," said Stevenson.
A spokesperson for Walmart Canada said the company takes issues like this very seriously and the matter is being looked into.
"Respect is a core value at Walmart Canada and we do not condone any behaviour which contradicts this value, including discrimination and racism," the spokesperson said. "Walmart is committed to providing a safe and inclusive environment for our associates and our customers. Celebrating diversity and fostering inclusivity is an integral part of the Walmart culture and we are proud to reflect the diverse communities we serve through our associates."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.