Fayetteville police are investigating a case of possible child abuse case following a May 7 report that a woman with three children at a store at the Fayette Pavilion was using profanity and screaming while hitting the children.

Officers on May 7 at approximately 7:46 p.m. were dispatched to the Kohl’s store at the Fayette Pavilion, where a patron said she observed an unidentified African American female with a slender build, wearing gray jogger-style pants and a white t-shirt with three juveniles — two males and one female, said Fayetteville Police Department spokesperson Ann Marie Burdett.

The complainant said one of the male juveniles appeared to be 12 years old, and the male and female juveniles appeared to be approximately 5 to 6 years old, the report said.

“The complainant told police she observed the female subject hit the children while hollering at them and using profanity inside and outside of the store,” said Burdett. “Police obtained similar accounts of the female subject’s behavior toward the juveniles from other witnesses in the vicinity.”

The case was turned over to the department’s Criminal Investigations Division.

In another case, Fayetteville police on the morning of May 6 were dispatched to JLS Construction on Beauregard Boulevard in reference to a theft.

Police met with the complainant, a company employee, who reported the theft of a tool storage container overnight, similar to the occurrence that took place the night before, said Burdett.

“The complainant told police that the metal loop on the container, allegedly locked with a padlock, was cut to remove the lock,” Burdett said. “The complainant reported to police he left the job site the previous day at approximately 6 p.m. and the container was locked.”

The complainant said he returned on May 6 at approximately 7:20 a.m. and noticed the lock had been cut. He provided police with a list of missing tools reportedly taken from the storage container, Burdett said.

While on the scene, a witness/employee advised the officer he found a pair of bolt cutters on the ground by the driveway entrance when he arrived to work that morning, Burdett added.

In a final case, a south Fayette County residence on Padgett Road was the site of a burglary during the overnight hours of May 6.

Reported on May 9, Sheriff Barry Babb said the homeowner noted that an unsecured garage was entered sometime between midnight and 7 a.m.

Deputies were told that lawn care tools and a gun had been stolen, said Babb.

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