Mom berated by customer for breastfeeding in Connecticut Target

WABC logo
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
Mom berated by customer for breastfeeding in CT Target
Lauren Glassberg has the latest details.

TORRINGTON, Connecticut -- A Connecticut woman who was berated by a man who called her "disgusting" for breastfeeding her baby in public at a Connecticut Target store is thanking customers and employees who defended her.

Jessie Maher starting recording the incident in the cafeteria of a Target in Torrington Monday after the man allegedly started cursing at her for breastfeeding her baby.

Shoppers immediately came to her defense, and Target employees also responded. The angry customer demanded a refund for having to see a woman breastfeeding in public and eventually left. And while Maher was frazzled by his remarks, she was buoyed by all the support.

"The amount of people coming at me to defend me was amazing," she said.

It is legal to breast feed in public in Connecticut, and Target may choose to allow breastfeeding in their stores in public or in the dressing rooms if they choose

Maher posted the video to her Facebook page, where it's gone viral. And support for her and her daughter Zinnia continues to stream in. She also happens to be studying to become a Douala, and she is now planning to file a police report.

"With all the hate going on in the world, it's pretty ridiculous," she said. "I think he needs to know that, and i think other people need to know that too."

Her video was viewed nearly 3 million times and shared nearly 43,000 times by Tuesday afternoon.