JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Two women face felony theft charges, but police said the woman forced their children -- one as young as 6 -- to do the dirty work.
Police said Jessica Diaz, 30, and Luz Gimenez, 29, and their five children were caught in the act of stealing $1,100 worth of clothing and jewelry from the JC Penney store at Regency Square Mall.
"Absolutely deplorable," Jacksonville Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Melissa Bujeda said. "There's no other words that can state why a parent would do this and would put their own children in this type of position."
According to the arrest report, Diaz and Gimenez had each of their children carry empty purses into the department store on Sunday. While the women were shopping, they were handing off jewelry and clothes for their children to take into a dressing room.
Store employees got suspicious when they saw the children go in and out of the dressing room about 10 times, each time bringing items in, but never taking anything out.
"Employees actually heard these women telling the children to conceal the items in the bags and purses," Bujeda said.
The children apparently resisted participating in the scheme. The report said that employees heard Diaz yelling and cursing at the children, demanding that they conceal the items.
"They were definitely facilitating this crime," Bujeda said. "It's sad. These parents are supposed to be raising them as good kids."
The two women were arrested and charged with grand theft and contributing to the delinquency of a child. They were released on bond.
Police said the Department of Children and Families was notified of the incident and the children were released to other family members.
Source: News4Jax, FirstCoastNews.
Like they're actually going to show up for trial.
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