Parents sue Walmart over kids' bath photos - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Janice · 09-19-2009, 08:29 PM

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/6624440.html

Parents sue Walmart, Ariz. over kids' bath photos

PHOENIX — An Arizona couple accused of sexual abuse after trying to have bath-time photos of their children developed at Walmart are suing the state and the retail giant.

A lawyer for Lisa and Anthony “A.J.” Demaree said the couple's three young daughters were taken away by Arizona Child Protective Services last fall when a Walmart employee found partially nude pictures of the girls on a camera memory stick taken to the store for processing.

The attorney said Walmart turned the photos over to police and the Peoria couple were not allowed to see their children for several days and didn't regain custody for a month while the state investigated.

Neither parent was charged with sexual abuse and they regained custody of their children — then ages 1½, 4 and 5 — but the Demarees say the incident inflicted lasting harm.

The Demarees are seeking an undetermined amount of monetary damages from both Walmart and the state, and they have requested a jury trial. Richard Treon, the lawyer for the Demarees, said the images of the girls were part of a group of 144 photographs taken mostly during the family’s vacation in San Diego.

There were at least seven to eight bath- and playtime photos of the girls. “There was nothing sexual about it,” Treon said. “This is a parent’s worst nightmare.”

One lawsuit names Arizona, Peoria and the state Attorney General’s Office as defendants, alleging that employees from each defamed the couple by telling friends, family members and co-workers that the parents had “sexually abused” their children by taking pornographic pictures of them.

A second lawsuit, naming Walmart as the defendant, says the company is at fault for not telling Anthony Demaree that it had an “unsuitable print policy” and could decide to turn any photos over to law enforcement.

Calls seeking comment from Arkansas-based Walmart and officials from Peoria and Arizona were not immediately returned on Thursday.

Chocoholic · 09-19-2009, 08:39 PM

I can certainly understand wanting to protect children from harm, but I think the officials went a little overboard here. Of course, they never seem to catch the real child abusers. The Massachusetts DSS is a great example of this. They are awful at keeping children safe.

catlover79 · 09-19-2009, 08:59 PM

Good grief!!

dakert · 09-19-2009, 09:52 PM

Remember the naked little baby on the bare skin rug that was featured on our favorite sit coms--namely Leave It To Beaver and The Monkees. I wonder if that little tot got taken away from its parents??

catlover79 · 09-19-2009, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dakert

Remember the naked little baby on the bare skin rug that was featured on our favorite sit coms--namely Leave It To Beaver and The Monkees. I wonder if that little tot got taken away from its parents??

Today he would!!

browneyes106 · 09-19-2009, 11:05 PM

There have been similar cases like this one. My cousin's wife decided to buy a photo printer to print any bath pics at home instead of taking her memory cards to a store.

catlover79 · 09-19-2009, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by browneyes106

There have been similar cases like this one. My cousin's wife decided to buy a photo printer to print any bath pics at home instead of taking her memory cards to a store.

That's a good idea. I think probably more people will start doing that.

browneyes106 · 09-19-2009, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catlover79

That's a good idea. I think probably more people will start doing that.

My cousin and his wife have a two year old son. She told us that there was an incident at a Costco in the Denver area in which a grandmother was investigated by child services after she took a photo CD in for prints that had a picture of her 2 year old granddaughter in the bath tub.

Liza · 09-19-2009, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by browneyes106

My cousin and his wife have a two year old son. She told us that there was an incident at a Costco in the Denver area in which a grandmother was investigated by child services after she took a photo CD in for prints that had a picture of her 2 year old granddaughter in the bath tub.

That's absurd.

My brother spent the first two years of his life running around naked. Any pictures of my brother from 1990-1992 do not feature clothing. (We'd put him in an outfit and he'd wriggle out of it).

HuntingtonM15 · 09-19-2009, 11:43 PM

So ridiculous. A good movie on this subject is Snap Decision with Mare Winningham and Felicity Huffman. It's so upsetting what the parents end up going through.

Schmoopie · 09-20-2009, 03:37 AM

I don't think it's any of the employees' business what kind of pictures they are printing, as long as they aren't ones that are obviously copyrighted, like wedding pictures or professional photos.

I work with disabled people and we book rides to pretty much anywhere and everywhere. I can't tell you the number of times I've booked trips for people to the King County jail in Seattle. There is no way I would ever ask their reason for going. A lot of times they will volunteer the information. Just yesterday I had a guy book to the jail and told me that he might have to stay there and wondered what to do about his return ride that was scheduled for a couple of hours later. I didn't ask what he was going to jail for. I really didn't know what to say. I ended up saying that "I hope that doesn't happen." It's scary to be in that kind of situation!!!

That story reminds me of the movie "Hope Floats" where Sandra Bullock gets a job in that Snappy Photo and her boss tells her that if they get any "questionable" prints, they never mention it to the client, but first they make a copy for future viewing!!!

Schmoopie · 09-20-2009, 03:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HuntingtonM15

So ridiculous. A good movie on this subject is Snap Decision with Mare Winningham and Felicity Huffman. It's so upsetting what the parents end up going through.

That sounds like a great movie! Thanks for the recommendation! I hope the parents who are suing Wal-Mart take them for all they've got!!!

Family Ties Forever! · 09-20-2009, 04:11 AM

Wow. Walmart went too far. I can only imagine the agony that must have put the family through.

Back in 1987 the pilot episode of Full House had a scene with one of the Olsen twins naked. No one seemed to have a problem with that. Same with the movie Three Men and a Baby. There's a scene where they are changing the baby and it's naked.

Doodyville10019 · 09-20-2009, 05:51 AM

When I was growingup there was a saying - "Children should be listeners not talkers". Yoday I think it's "Children should be fully clothed at all times, even when in the tub".

That. to me, is a huge reason why kids today are so messed up - they are overprotected by the state and not given a chance to learn about life and what it can do to them (and how to protect themselves from it) at an early age!

phoebe7165 · 09-20-2009, 10:05 AM

Yeah, at least Wal-mart could've just verbally warned them at first, and tell them of the "unsuitable print policy". I wasn't aware of it!

Maybe it's just me, but if I worked in a photo lab and saw pictures of kids in a bathtub, I would immediately think "Aww, that's cute". The thought of sexual abuse wouldn't have even crossed my mind!!

09-19-2009, 08:29 PM	#1
Janice Retired Admin - Hollywood Swingin' Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 03, 2001 Location: Beantown Posts: 36,388	Parents sue Walmart over kids' bath photos http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/6624440.html Parents sue Walmart, Ariz. over kids' bath photos PHOENIX — An Arizona couple accused of sexual abuse after trying to have bath-time photos of their children developed at Walmart are suing the state and the retail giant. A lawyer for Lisa and Anthony “A.J.” Demaree said the couple's three young daughters were taken away by Arizona Child Protective Services last fall when a Walmart employee found partially nude pictures of the girls on a camera memory stick taken to the store for processing. The attorney said Walmart turned the photos over to police and the Peoria couple were not allowed to see their children for several days and didn't regain custody for a month while the state investigated. Neither parent was charged with sexual abuse and they regained custody of their children — then ages 1½, 4 and 5 — but the Demarees say the incident inflicted lasting harm. The Demarees are seeking an undetermined amount of monetary damages from both Walmart and the state, and they have requested a jury trial. Richard Treon, the lawyer for the Demarees, said the images of the girls were part of a group of 144 photographs taken mostly during the family’s vacation in San Diego. There were at least seven to eight bath- and playtime photos of the girls. “There was nothing sexual about it,” Treon said. “This is a parent’s worst nightmare.” One lawsuit names Arizona, Peoria and the state Attorney General’s Office as defendants, alleging that employees from each defamed the couple by telling friends, family members and co-workers that the parents had “sexually abused” their children by taking pornographic pictures of them. A second lawsuit, naming Walmart as the defendant, says the company is at fault for not telling Anthony Demaree that it had an “unsuitable print policy” and could decide to turn any photos over to law enforcement. Calls seeking comment from Arkansas-based Walmart and officials from Peoria and Arizona were not immediately returned on Thursday.

09-19-2009, 08:59 PM	#3
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,392	Good grief!!
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09-20-2009, 03:37 AM	#11
Schmoopie Keep Calm and Love Snoopy Forum Star Join Date: Jul 13, 2008 Location: Lynnwood, Washington Posts: 15,697	I don't think it's any of the employees' business what kind of pictures they are printing, as long as they aren't ones that are obviously copyrighted, like wedding pictures or professional photos. I work with disabled people and we book rides to pretty much anywhere and everywhere. I can't tell you the number of times I've booked trips for people to the King County jail in Seattle. There is no way I would ever ask their reason for going. A lot of times they will volunteer the information. Just yesterday I had a guy book to the jail and told me that he might have to stay there and wondered what to do about his return ride that was scheduled for a couple of hours later. I didn't ask what he was going to jail for. I really didn't know what to say. I ended up saying that "I hope that doesn't happen." It's scary to be in that kind of situation!!! That story reminds me of the movie "Hope Floats" where Sandra Bullock gets a job in that Snappy Photo and her boss tells her that if they get any "questionable" prints, they never mention it to the client, but first they make a copy for future viewing!!!
	__________________ In memory of my wonderful husband. I love and miss you more than words can say, but I will always and forever keep you in my heart. September 23, 1961-January 14, 2019

09-20-2009, 05:51 AM	#14
Doodyville10019 Meet my new friend Sparkie! Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 08, 2008 Location: Competition Square, located in Doodyville Park Posts: 877	When I was growingup there was a saying - "Children should be listeners not talkers". Yoday I think it's "Children should be fully clothed at all times, even when in the tub". That. to me, is a huge reason why kids today are so messed up - they are overprotected by the state and not given a chance to learn about life and what it can do to them (and how to protect themselves from it) at an early age!
	__________________ Hi! Hey! Hello again, here we go again!

09-20-2009, 10:05 AM	#15
phoebe7165 Pop Culture Goddess Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 15, 2003 Location: US of A - the country of "really bad music" lovers Posts: 11,600	Yeah, at least Wal-mart could've just verbally warned them at first, and tell them of the "unsuitable print policy". I wasn't aware of it! Maybe it's just me, but if I worked in a photo lab and saw pictures of kids in a bathtub, I would immediately think "Aww, that's cute". The thought of sexual abuse wouldn't have even crossed my mind!!
	__________________ Rest in Peace to my Penny-pie. You really were a GREAT dog. I'll see you at the Rainbow Bridge. Penny 9/1/97-12/9/09 Rescued animals make the best pets. Opt to Adopt!!

09-19-2009, 08:39 PM	#2
Chocoholic Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 01, 2000 Location: Between a rock and a hard place. Posts: 11,235	I can certainly understand wanting to protect children from harm, but I think the officials went a little overboard here. Of course, they never seem to catch the real child abusers. The Massachusetts DSS is a great example of this. They are awful at keeping children safe.

09-19-2009, 09:52 PM	#4
dakert Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: May 10, 2007 Location: Altoona PA Posts: 3,411	Remember the naked little baby on the bare skin rug that was featured on our favorite sit coms--namely Leave It To Beaver and The Monkees. I wonder if that little tot got taken away from its parents??

09-19-2009, 11:05 PM	#6
browneyes106 Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Apr 01, 2008 Posts: 6,094	There have been similar cases like this one. My cousin's wife decided to buy a photo printer to print any bath pics at home instead of taking her memory cards to a store.

09-19-2009, 11:43 PM	#10
HuntingtonM15 That Bothers Me Moderator Forum Star Join Date: Jun 20, 2003 Location: Metro Detroit Posts: 11,060	So ridiculous. A good movie on this subject is Snap Decision with Mare Winningham and Felicity Huffman. It's so upsetting what the parents end up going through.

09-20-2009, 04:11 AM	#13
Family Ties Forever! Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 16, 2002 Location: Keaton residence Posts: 10,214	Wow. Walmart went too far. I can only imagine the agony that must have put the family through. Back in 1987 the pilot episode of Full House had a scene with one of the Olsen twins naked. No one seemed to have a problem with that. Same with the movie Three Men and a Baby. There's a scene where they are changing the baby and it's naked.