Kansas Family Celebrating Their Two-Year-Old’s Birthday Left in Shock After Restaurant Owner Kissed Their Daughter and Blew Out Her Candle
Police are investigating a restaurant owner in Benton, Kansas, after he was accused of walking up to a family celebrating their two-year-old daughter’s birthday and kissing the child before blowing out the candle on her cake. The incident, which was caught on camera and has since gone viral, shows the surreal moment when the man crossed the line.
The incident took place on Friday, August 28, at Stearman Field Bar and Grill, as confirmed by a press release from the Benton Police Department, which was subsequently shared on Facebook. According to KWCH 12, the authorities are investigating an incident of battery at the establishment that happened around 8:24 p.m.
The matter was first brought to police attention after the mother of the two-year-old, Cassie Berrios, spoke about the inappropriate behavior from restaurant staff in a post on Facebook. She claimed the man had been identified as John Arnold, the owner of Stearman Field Bar and Grill. According to KWCH 12, he was also an “equity holder” for Stearman Airfield, Deano’s Grill & Tapworks, Oak & Pie, Deano’s on Pier 37, and Morgan’s Steakhouse.
The restaurant owner is under investigation
Berrios claimed the man “Approached my TODDLER enjoying her moment by putting his arm around her, called her beautiful and attempted to give her a kiss on her innocent lips.”
In the video of the incident, the family of the two-year-old is seen celebrating the young girl’s birthday before Arnold approaches the table. He then leans down and tries to kiss the child while the rest of the people at the table watch, completely stunned.
The incident no doubt put a damper on the birthday celebrations. On Facebook, Berrios claimed she then told Arnold not to touch her daughter, only to be ignored initially. When she told him again, Berrios claimed he allegedly told her to “go F*** myself.” He then apparently left the establishment with “his wife or girlfriend.” Berrios also said that the staff “did not seemed [sic] surprised by this man’s gross actions.”
Elsewhere online, on platforms such as X, people agreed that the man’s actions were “creepy.” Commenters on Facebook also advised Berrios to sue or, at the very least, contact the police. Another commenter claimed they were sure they’d seen other complaints “from moms/teenage girls about him being forward/inappropriate towards them,” although this has not been confirmed.
The Benton Police Department has since confirmed that it is currently investigating the situation and will forward all findings to the prosecutor’s office. Statements from Deano’s, Oak & Pie, and Morgan’s Steakhouse Facebook pages also addressed the situation, assuring customers that steps were being taken “to ensure that this type of conduct does not happen again.”
(Featured image: @ExxAlerts, X)
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