A trip to the mall took a disturbing turn for shoppers at an Illinois shopping center. What started as a normal bathroom break allegedly led to the discovery of something far more disturbing happening just a few feet away.
According to Schaumburg police, officers responded to Woodfield Mall at around 8:30 p.m. on Friday, June 26, after getting a report that someone was recording a child inside a restroom.
As per CBS News, police said officers were called after someone reported a suspicious person videotaping a child. During the investigation, officers found that a man had allegedly used a cellphone to record both video and audio of a boy while he was urinating in a bathroom stall. Police said the man was standing in the stall directly next to the boy while recording.
The suspect was identified as 54-year-old Samuel Nutt of Rolling Meadows, Illinois. He was arrested at the scene and charged with unauthorized videotaping of a minor, a Class 3 felony.
A video that has gone viral online appears to show what happened after the alleged recording. In the video, bystanders can be seen confronting Nutt while he reportedly still had his pants down.
Police have not officially identified the people who recorded or shared the video.
Nutt appeared for a detention hearing at the Rolling Meadows Courthouse on Monday. The court granted him pretrial release, placed him on electronic monitoring, and ordered him to stay away from children and Woodfield Mall.
His next court date is scheduled for July 24.
Internet Reacts to Illinois Mall Bathroom Filming Incident
Reactions to the viral video have been overwhelmingly critical of Nutt.
One commenter didn’t mince words: “Straight to jail no bail. If he’s doing this then you can be sure he’s done a lot more.” Others echoed calls for harsher consequences. “All child predators need to be dealt with in way that guarantees they cannot reoffend. Our children expect this from us,” one person wrote.
Several focused on the bystanders themselves. “Love the sheer panic on his face and body language knowing his life is about to completely change. Good on those young men taking charge of the situation,” one comment read.
Others were less forgiving of the suspect’s circumstances. “Some people don’t deserve the benefit of doubt. Got caught with is trousers down in every possible sense,” another user wrote.
A few speculated about prior behavior. “People tend to become bolder after they get away with something the first time. This guy gives me the impression he’s done this before,” one commenter argued.
Illinois police have not shared more information about the boy involved. Officials have not released the child’s age or explained exactly how the incident happened.
They also have not said whether any other possible victims have been identified.
