COLUMBIA COUNTY, Ga. (WJBF) – Parents are speaking out after three people were arrested and charged with stealing dozens of cans of baby formula from several Columbia County stores.
Jose Salvador Solis-Hernandez, Dulce Maria Tovar-Sanchez and Angel Jesus Preza-Gonzales are now facing felony shoplifting charges, according to the Columbia County Sheriff’s Department.
ALSO ON WJBF: Three arrested, allegedly stole nearly $5,000 worth of baby formula from Columbia County stores The three suspects were arrested by Columbia County deputies at the Kroger located on Jimmie Dyess Parkway on Thursday after receiving calls from other stores reporting stolen goods.
Deputies say that they used license plate readers and traffic cameras to track the car to that Kroger.
Authorities say the suspects had stolen what could be more than $5,000 worth of baby formula from nearby stores such as Walmart, Kroger, and Publix.
Parents say they are shocked that people would do this especially when some babies need a specific type of formula.
“It’s pretty upsetting to hear that someone would take formula from an innocent little baby,” says Matt, who is a local parent. “She’s had a lot of milk allergies so it’s been really hard to find formula that’s safe for her.”
Other people say they still remember the baby formula shortage in 2022, and they do not want to relive that.
“I don’t think that anybody should be stealing anything especially baby formula because people need that, and they have to be able to access it,” says Vicki Evans, another local parent. “And if it’s stolen and no one can get to it, then we have to go without.”
Authorities have not released or disclosed the reason why the suspects stole this amount of formula, but other options were on the table.
“There’s ways for people to get help if they need to obtain baby formula,” says Evans. “There’s lots of programs out there, such as WIC, and if you contact the county, they can get you some assistance. There’s no reason to steal it.”
ALSO ON WJBF: Turpin Hill residents asking for RCSO help in terms of vandalism, mischief in neighborhood Authorities say the suspects are currently at the Columbia County Detention Center.
The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office states that this is an ongoing investigation, and authorities are working to return the stolen formula.
Augusta Partnership for children has resources available for parents who are struggling.
For more information, you can visit https://augustapartnership.org/contact/ .
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