A neighbor called the police after seeing a Mexican grandfather along with a white grandson — and falsely accusing the man of kidnapping.
Abel Mata was walking outside his home in Torras, California with his 2-year-old grandson on Sunday afternoon when police showed up. The officers explained that they had answered a call about the possible kidnapping of the baby by a certain Hispanic.
“It was an elderly white woman with blond, curly hair. — Mata recalls the neighbor who called the police — She told me that I was a kidnapper. She shouted that I was trying to kidnap the child. »
The neighbor also had a knife with her, but since the woman did not threaten them with Mate, she was not charged.
Mata, who moved to the United States from Mexico when he was 5 years old, says officers immediately knew he was not a criminal — but the incident still hit him hard.
“I was judged by the color of my skin and by the color of my grandson. It's horrible».
Mata's daughter, Athena, added that she had never experienced such behavior before.
“We have lived in Southern California all our lives and have seen my dad face racism because of his skin color and the way he looks — but not to that extent.”
Mata hopes that after learning his story, people will think twice before judging others.
