Overview
- Surveillance video released by the owner of Moe’s Cantina shows an adult woman pick up and slam a young girl selling flowers outside Moe’s Cantina and Tree House as the businesses were closing late at night.
- The restaurant owner said he found the footage days after the incident, released it to raise alarm about unaccompanied child vendors, and plans to hire private security to monitor the area.
- Chicago Police say they are now looking into the circumstances even though no report was filed when the incident occurred and the people shown in the video have not been publicly identified.
- Vendor advocates and outreach organizers said minors should not be vending alone and noted many child vendors are recent migrants, which complicates supervision and enforcement of age rules.
- Business owners and neighbors say the presence of children selling late in River North has grown over the past two years and the video could prompt renewed city and policing action on child safety and street vending rules.