9-Year-Old Says He Felt 'Humiliated' After 'Cornerstore Caroline' Wrongly Accused Him of Sexual Assault
A black 9-year-old boy is still grappling with accusations of sexual assault by a white woman, dubbed "Cornerstore Caroline," in New York.
A viral video captured the moment the 9-year-old, Jeremiah Harvey, walked out of the Brooklyn store earlier this month and his backpack grazed against Teresa Klein. Klein, who had her back turned, then accused Jeremiah of groping her and called police.
"I want the cops here right now!" Klein is heard screaming in the video. "I was sexually assaulted by a child!"
After watching the video, Klein apologized, and now claims she called police because Jeremiah’s mom was “aggressive.”
Jeremiah is now trying to cope with the trauma of the event.
"It’s still hard because lately, on my mind ... like, I can’t think nothing but this," Jeremiah told "Good Morning America" in an interview that aired Friday morning. "I felt humiliated because of the way she was acting."
Someko Bellille, Jeremiah’s mom, said she has struggled to explain the situation to her son.
“To be having a conversation with your son about sexual assault at the age of 9 — I never thought I’d be having this conversation,” Bellille told GMA.
Jeremiah and his mother both said they have forgiven Klein, but it may take a while before they overcome what happened.
“This is going to take some time. It’s going to take a lot of healing,” she said. "His innocence was taken for granted.”
RELATED STORIES
Woman Seen Allegedly Calling Cops on 8-Year-Old Selling Water in Viral Video
Elderly Woman Arrested in Disturbing Viral Video Is Freed in Time for Her 94th Birthday
Drug Addict Reveals How Viral Video Showing His Overdose Put His Life Back on Track
