Cops swoop on girl, 8, who opened lemonade stall without a license

A young girl was descended on by cops after they received a complaint regarding her lemonade stand.

Eight-year-old Asa Baker had set up shop, where she was selling drinks for $1 a pop, in an alley near the business where her father works in Ohio, which happened to be nearby a food festival.

The organisers of the festival had contacted police, Alliance Police Lieutenant Don Wensel told WJW–TV.

READ MORE: Travelodge cleaner says job is not for the 'weak' after cleaning up kids party in room

But unhappy with having to close down the youngster's business, the officers reportedly gave Asa $20 (£16.59) to pay for the permit she needed to keep her stall running.

Asa's mother Katrina Moore said: "I could definitely tell he did not want to shut her down, but, I mean, you get a call, he has to do it.

"He definitely did the right thing, you know, in the situation he was put in."

Lt Wensel said police are not deliberately targeting children selling lemonade.

However, the city's laws state that vendors must have a license to sell products to the public – which eight-year-old Asa hadn't managed to get her hands on.

And despite the kind gesture by officers, Asa still only had half the amount she needed to continue selling her lemonade.

Katrina continued: "In order to get a food vendors license, it only lasts for five days and it's $40 (£33.19) for five days so that’s kind of out of the picture.

"If she wants to sell on the street, she has to get a street permit. If she sells in front of a business, we have to get a solicitors permit."

She added: "I understand the rules, I understand why she got shut down. It’s just a sad, sad situation."

  • 'We sold our home on Instagram to live mortgage free on abandoned caravan park'

Fortunately, disruption to operations was short-lived and Asa's stand was back to business as usual the Friday after it had been shut down.

She ran her stand in front of the shopfront of local business owner Eric Strata, where police said they would let her continue uninterrupted.

Strata had seen a post on Facebook about Baker’s predicament and helped her with the process of getting a permit.

He said: "[The officer] had to do his job, but it just felt so unjust to me because she’s eight, she’s just an innocent little girl that wants to be motivated and wants to do something with herself.

"Why shut that down?” Strata said.

And the temporary closure has been great press for young Asa as plenty of new customers have stopped by her stand to make a purchase.

The young entrepreneur has managed to rake in in hundreds of dollars, WJW-TV reported.

READ NEXT:

  • Twin babies left to die in scorching car after dad forgot to drop them off at nursery

  • UK lost 'Atlantis' village emerges from reservoir that has almost dried up

  • Wanted man attempts escape from police on a digger in farcically-slow pursuit

  • UK beaches on alert as Brits stung by tiny but 'excruciatingly painful' fish

Source: Read Full Article

Previous post You’re Never Gonna Guess Where Millie Bobby Brown Is Going to College
Next post Woman who was reunited with Sri Lankan birth mum on Long Lost Family