Breastfeeding Mother has Baby Snatched by Primark Security Guard Saying: ‘If you want your baby back follow me’
Caroline Starmer, 28, and her nine-month-old Paige (Picture:NTI Media)
A mother was left outraged after a security guard at Primark grabbed her baby while she was breast feeding in the store.
The man continued to walk away with the baby telling the distraught mother: ‘If you want your baby back, follow me.’
Mother-of-four, Caroline Starmer had been feeding her nine-month-old daughter, Paige behind a mannequin at a Primark store in Leicester when she was ordered to stop by the unnamed guard.
It was when she refused when he took her child.
Mrs Starmer said: 'I was completely shocked, one minute I was feeding Paige in a discreet area of the store and suddenly I was being challenged by a security guard and he was walking off with my baby.
'He said to me “you can’t do that here, you will have to vacate the premises”.
'When I tried to explain my daughter needed feeding and it was my right to breastfeed wherever I wanted he just ripped Paige off my breast.’
The Primark store in Leicester (Picture: NTI Media)
She added: 'The pain was excruciating, because she was pulled off my breast against her will, she instantly clamped down with her two bottom teeth causing a lot of pain to me.
'I was stunned, I didn’t know what to do, this stranger had hold of my daughter and was walking off with her screaming while I had my breast exposed and my other daughter in the pushchair.
'When I regained my senses I sprinted after him and stood in front of him. I grabbed Paige off him and he just sneered at me and walked off.’
Ms Starmer had not been alone with Paige - she had the little girl’s twin sister, Freya, in the pushchair.
Caroline Starmer with twins Paige and Freya (Picture: NTI Media)
A spokesman for Primark said: ‘A spokesman said: 'We wish to make it absolutely clear that mothers are welcome to breastfeed in our stores.
'We are investigating this incident urgently, and take these claims very seriously.’
After rescuing her child, Ms Starmer reported the incident to Leicestershire Police.
A spokesperson for the force told reporters: ‘We have spoken to the lady involved and arrangements have been made to take further statements in relation to the allegations.’
‘The security guard who is alleged to have confronted Mrs Starmer has not yet been questioned by police.’
