Single mother says she was denied entry to Walmart because she brought her son

(AP Images)

NEWINGTON, Conn. – Stephanie Tsui was just trying to pick up some groceries at her local Walmart in Newington, Connecticut when the store denied her entry and threatened to call the police because she had brought her son along.

“What is a single parent to do? I have no other choice,” Tsui told FOX61. “You can’t tell me that I am the only single parent that is quarantining and social distancing from everyone outside of us.”

Recommended Videos



According to the FOX61 interview, Tsui and her son had been wearing face masks but were denied by the manager because it is “state law for only one person to be allowed in at a time.”

Tsui told FOX61 the manager told her she would need to have someone watch her son.

According to the Connecticut Food Association the shopping-alone practice is only a recommendation and denying Tsui entry was a misrepresentation of the guideline.

“The guideline is very clear,” said CFA President Wayne Pesce. “Please do it when you can but we all know commonsense tells you that you’re not always going to be able to do that alone. You should never be turned away by the way.”

When FOX61 reached out to Walmart, the company said it “only recommend people shop alone and will contact the Newington location to rectify the situation.”

Tsui said she no longer feels comfortable going to that location and that she has never had a problem at any other Walmart.


About the Author:

Daniela Sternitzky-Di Napoli has been a digital news editor at KPRC 2 since 2018. She is a published poet and has background in creative writing and journalism. Daniela has covered events like Hurricane Harvey and the Astros World Series win. In her spare time, Daniela is an avid reader and loves to spend time with her two miniature dachshunds.