Desperate mom stole $20 for sick child

NASSAU- A Burger King employee stole $20 from the eatery to buy medication for her daughter, a court heard.

Police arrested the 24-year-old after her boss reported the January 3 theft that was caught in the store’s surveillance camera.

After pleading guilty to a charge of stealing by reason of employment, the woman explained that she stole out of desperation.

She said that she didn’t get paid because of a paperwork mixup.

Prior to taking the money said she had asked her boss for a loan because her daughter is asthmatic.

The woman said, “I really needed it.”

She claimed that she had repaid the stolen money. According to her, the company deducted $40 from her $160 cheque.

Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt told the woman that she understood the woman’s predicament.

However, she said, “Stealing can never be justified. It is wrong and carries a consequence.”

The magistrate gave the woman an opportunity to maintain her clean criminal record by giving her a conditional discharge.

She will be eligible for an absolute discharge after successfully completing six months of probation.

However, she will be sentenced to six weeks in prison if she gets into any trouble during the period of probation.

The magistrate warned the woman that a conviction for stealing could affect future chances for employment.