Did Roger Stephens Loose His Cool And Try To Discipline A Crying Brat?

Why are some men so angry? Roger Stephens, 61, fits the description of an angry man if the allegations against him are true. Stephens was arrested Monday and charged with first-degree cruelty to children as a result of an incident at Walmart. Allegedly, Stephens tried to discipline a crying brat in the store. In the mean time, police in Gwinnett County are still trying to figure out the circumstances surrounding Stephens allegedly slapping a 2-year-old stranger.

The confrontation allegedly occurred at the Walmart in Stone Mountain, a suburb of Atlanta. It is a situation that almost everyone has experienced. Crying complaining child in the store. Other patrons stair and mutter under their breath, "that child needs to straighten up." But in the normal situation, that is as far as the matter goes. But in this case, according to the child's mother, Stephens allegedly approached her and her two year old daughter and said, "If you don't shut the baby up, I will shut her up for you." Stranger A few minutes later, Stephens allegedly grabbed the crying girl and slapped her across the face perhaps as many as four or five times.

"See, I told you I would shut her up," the Stephens allegedly said. The toddler was apparently not hurt and she did "shut up." But obviously it is socially unacceptable behavior to discipline another's child let alone administer "corporal punishment." Before Stephens was arrested, he apparently apologized to the mother. Nevertheless, Stephens is being held by the Gwinnett County Sheriff's Department. It is not clear whether Stephens was having a bad day or if he truly believed that the child was in need of discipline. Either way, if guilty, perhaps anger management is appropriate. However anyone having raised children would have trouble denying the possible future benefit to the child's mom of being able to threaten a visit by "the man with the heavy hand" should the child ever act up in public again.