After Mom Recognizes Son's Face in 'Wanted' Footage, Knows She Has To Turn Him In
When you’re out doing a routine activity like grocery shopping, you can zone out. You follow your list (or try to remember everything you needed), fill your cart, pay, and then head to your car.
The whole time, though, you might be somewhere else mentally, thinking about your parents visiting or what you feel like for dinner or wondering if you’ll get that promotion at work.
Parking lots are dangerous places, though. Not only is there a lot of car activity, many would-be criminals know that people are often distracted when heading back to their cars.
That’s why it’s a good idea to keep an eye on your surroundings, get your keys out before exiting the store, quickly load your car, and make sure to park under a light if you’re out at night.
One woman was at a Walmart parking lot in San Antonio, Texas, at around 6 p.m. when she had a run-in with two men who decided to make her their target.
There’s no telling if she saw them coming or what she was doing prior to the altercation, but when they confronted her she was sitting in her car.
In many cases, people in her situation would probably lock the doors, start the car, and skedaddle.
And she probably would have, but as she tried to shut her door they pulled out a gun. Fortunately all the two young men seemed to want was her car, and after she got out they got in and took off.
Surveillance photos of the criminals were distributed, and a $5,000 reward was offered.
Those photos made their way before the eyes of someone who recognized one of the young men, Joshua Rea. It was his mom.
She must have been appalled — as any mother might be — and the day after the photos were released she took her son to the police department so he could turn himself in.
There Rea confirmed that he was one of the two men who’d carjacked the woman, though the other man has not yet been identified.
Rea could be charged with aggravated robbery, which is a felony. Thanks to the vigilance of his mother, at least one of the criminals will face justice.
Some have claimed that the mom just wanted the $5,000 reward, but she didn’t call the Crime Stoppers number to cash in: She took her son directly to the police.
As of Thursday she still had not tried to claim the reward, but whether or not she tries to, she still did the right thing.
Submit your story here, and subscribe to our best uplifting stories here.
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
