Woman With Down’s Syndrome Claims She Was Thrown Out Of Supermarket Due To Her Condition

Stephanie Couldry, 30, was shopping for her disabled parents at Morrison’s supermarket in Swindon, Wiltshire. She claims that the store threw her out because she has Down’s Syndrome and for fear that she would “cause mischief” and steal.

Couldry said that she was “upset,” as she felt humiliated. She stated that a store staff member told her the following according to METRO.

“What are you doing here? Get out now.”

Stephanie said that she shops at the store when visiting her parents, while riding her motorized mobility scooter. According to the store, they previously received customer complaints about the speed at which she drove her scooter while in the store, and that store personnel said that she sometimes forgot to scan items through the self-check-out. The store then allegedly met with Stephanie and her sister, and it was agreed that she have someone accompany her to the store.

Couldry stated the following about the episode, indicating that her parents were upset at the manner in which she was treated when she shopped alone, according to the Swindon Advertiser.

“I was a bit upset because I have been to Morrison’s before. I go there a lot. I go there on my mobility scooter or I walk. I was unhappy about it and I told mum and dad about it. They were very upset about it and for me.”

Her brother-in-law, Stephen Parsons, 53, was quite angry at Couldry being thrown out of the store and stated the following.

“It was absolutely disgusting. She has been there before lots of times. She had been in there the day before. I don’t think she would want to go back there again after what has happened. And I don’t think her mum and dad would want to shop there again.”

The store has not apologized. Instead, a spokesman for the store noted the agreement that she not enter the store alone and that she often failed to pay for a substantial part of her order, indicating the following.

“Stephanie is well known in our Haydon Wick store and continues to visit regularly. Several times, Stephanie has been found leaving the store without having paid for a significant part of her shop….Keen to continue welcoming her, the store team agreed with Stephanie and her family that she would be accompanied in the future to help avoid this happening again. On this occasion, Stephanie was alone and asked to leave.”

Do you think that the store treated Stephanie appropriately? Please leave your comments below.

Not all people with disabilities are treated poorly by employees of businesses that they frequent. Dr. David Jones was eating with his wife at a Mexican restaurant when he saw a sight that gave him hope about the kindness in human nature. He saw a smiling fast-food worker help feed a disabled customer her favorite meal, a steak burrito. He noticed that the worker helped the woman pull her wheelchair up to a table, according to an article in the Inquisitr.

[Photo Courtesy Michael Bradley/Getty Images]