Most parents dread getting a call from the police about their kid. This Lincoln, Nebraska mom decided to skip that step entirely and make the call herself.
A group of teenagers is now facing charges after allegedly vandalizing Kelly’s Produce, a local business, in the early morning hours last weekend. Court documents show that a 15-year-old girl was turned in by her own mother after the woman recognized her daughter in a video of the incident that the store’s owner had posted online. That’s one way to handle a family disagreement.
Lincoln police say they got the call about the vandalism just before 5 a.m. on Saturday. When owner Kelly Abbott showed up to open for the day, she found jars of pickled vegetables and fruit smashed all over the ground, along with two destroyed food-display refrigerators and a chunk of missing produce. Police put the total damage at $5,232, which is a pretty expensive way to spend a Saturday morning.
Surveillance footage reportedly showed the group rolling up in a red minivan before getting to work on the destruction and grabbing a few items on their way out. Not exactly a getaway car built for speed, but it apparently did the job.
How the Case Came Together
The 15-year-old girl now faces charges of criminal mischief and theft, and she wasn’t alone. Two more juveniles suspected of being involved were identified and tracked down by investigators shortly after.
The last of the group, a 15-year-old boy, was taken into custody midweek, closing out what turned into a multi-day search for everyone involved.
Cleaning Up the Mess
For Abbott, the aftermath has meant more than just sweeping up broken glass. She’s had to restock coolers that were already fully stocked before the damage happened, essentially doing the same job twice in one week.
She summed up the whole ordeal simply, saying it’s been an insane week of playing catch-up.
A Business Leaning on Its Community
Despite the setback, Abbott made a point of thanking the community for the support that poured in after news of the vandalism got out. It’s a reminder that even when a small business takes a hit, neighbors tend to show up when it counts.
At the end of the day, this is a case that wrapped up fairly quickly thanks to some sharp-eyed identification, including from inside the family of one of the accused. And many are applauding the mom. On Facebook, many are calling her a “hero” and “parent of the year,” noting that this is how you get children to learn properly.
A powerful comment wrote: “It’s tough, but they won’t learn if you turn a blind eye. I turned my son in, and he went to prison for 5 years. I don’t think he’d be alive now if he hadn’t gone to prison.”