Mum and tot left in dark as store closes

8:20am Friday 15th February 2013 in News Photograph of the Author By Cadisha Brown

A SHOPPING trip ended in panic for a Kidderminster mother who was suddenly plunged into darkness while feeding her 10-week-old baby.

Emma Pearce went into the Mothercare store in Merry Hill to feed her daughter, Holly, in a private feeding room, on Saturday but, unbeknown to her, the staff started to lock up while she was still in there.

The 22-year-old told The Shuttle how she suddenly found herself in darkness when all the lights were switched off without warning, leaving her daughter “petrified”.

Mrs Pearce, who went into the store 15 minutes before closing time, said she managed to “stumble” her way out of the private room in the dark only to find all the workers gathered at the doors ready to leave.

“Nobody said to me that they were closing,” she explained. “All the lights went off and my daughter was petrified in the dark. I had to stumble my way around in the dark and try and find my way out the door.

“My mum was outside and told them I was in there but they said to her they had double checked and there was no-one in the store.”

Mrs Pearce added she could still hear the staff while she was in the private room so was unaware the store was about to close.

“I think it’s really bad,”

she said. “I was scared for my daughter because she was vomiting all over herself because she was so scared.

“I was scared when they turned the lights off. I didn’t know what was happening. I thought ‘uh, oh what do I do?’ When I opened the door everything was dark.”

A Mothercare spokeswoman said: “At Mothercare we pride ourselves on caring for parents and providing the best facilities for our customers.

“It is our store policy that two members of staff check all areas of the store, including toilets, feeding rooms, babychanging areas and fire exits just before closing.

“The incident is an isolated case and Mothercare has apologised to the customer and offered her a gesture of goodwill.”

Mrs Pearce has been offered a £25 voucher from the shop.

Comments(15)

Respectable says...
8:58am Fri 15 Feb 13

There you go....£25 for a nothing story and non event

For Gawds Sake... Compensation Culture Strikes Again...!

Don't people know how to play the system these days.

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gypsyman says...
9:32am Fri 15 Feb 13

i wouldnt say it was for nothing she has a little baby, the staff should of checked there wasnt anyone in the store which they recon they did, but they diddnt do a good enought job, by the looks of it.

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walkerno5 says...
10:21am Fri 15 Feb 13

A 10 week old baby vomiting in fear because the lights go out does sound a bit...... melodramatic?

10 week old babies are famous for vomiting. And famously were until very recently in a very dark place. And sleep a lot in dark places.

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davewal says...
12:15pm Fri 15 Feb 13

Ten week old babies don't get petrified of the dark. Wow. I hope they don't grow up to be as overdramatic and greedy as their mother.

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kiddymum says...
3:47pm Fri 15 Feb 13

Ten week old babies don't get petrified of the dark! This girl needs to get a serious reality check, if this is all she has to moan about that I'm sure alot of people would love to trade places with her, Get a grip!!!

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gypsyman says...
4:12pm Fri 15 Feb 13

listen to u all, ok put it another way what if the mother had triped over somthing in the store as they had turnd the lights out, that little baby could of been hurt, if ity was any of you it would be a totaly different story i bet. lets hope this never happens to any of you

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minydon says...
9:19pm Fri 15 Feb 13

So why go to feed a baby 15 mins before the store closed? The store times are clearly displayed, and maybe the staff had checked the rooms, not expecting anyone to go into them so close to closing time. Or did she expect the store to stay open just for her? Oh yes! Compensation mentality is alive and well!!

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Thirtysomethin says...
9:21pm Fri 15 Feb 13

If this had happened to me I doubt I'd have gone to the paper about it. Chill out gypsyman!

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gypsyman says...
9:25pm Fri 15 Feb 13

i do belive the paper went to her

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Shibdrift says...
9:37pm Fri 15 Feb 13

Wow, the Shuttle must be REALLY short of news then!!!

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gypsyman says...
10:04pm Fri 15 Feb 13

yep

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GlenFiddick says...
4:58pm Sat 16 Feb 13

Whether it was 15 minutes or 5 minutes before closing time, the fact is that the employees should have found her. To lock up with someone still in the store was a serious error on behalf of the store management.

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GGmommy says...
10:38pm Sat 16 Feb 13

Cant believe this is even newsworthy!? Have 2 young children myself and find it hard to believe that the child was sick because of her fear of the dark..."petrified" really i doubt this!

Might have been a little unnerving for the mom but wouldnt have raised an issue unless someone had thought of the "£" signs that might come from making a story from this?

Really? Lets get real and think about real issues....little Charlie perhaps?

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comberton hill questions says...
12:04pm Sun 17 Feb 13

This store should have checked every room as per their procedures before turing the lights off - this baby girl could have been badly hurt - why it is news worthy I dont know - and idiots saying compensation culture - this is a goodwill payment for making a mistake - dear oh dear next your be telling us all the daily mail writes facts lmao.

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Respectable says...
9:55pm Sun 17 Feb 13

What if what if what if.....Nothing happened to her or the baby... Stop projecting injury .... Nothing happened !

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