“Bodycam Footage Reveals What the Mother Did Next — Officers Say They’ve Never Seen Anything Like It: Part 2”
The moment officers stepped into the stockroom, the fictional suspect — 32-year-old Mariah Collins — was already scrambling. In Part 1, she had managed to slip past store security and hide in the back of the building with her two young daughters. But Part 2 picks up at the exact second her plan began to fall apart.
As the newly released bodycam footage shows, Mariah placed a finger to her lips, signaling her daughters to stay quiet as officers searched the aisles just outside. She frantically dug through a storage bin, looking for someplace to stash the items she had taken. Shelves rattled. Coats and cleaning supplies spilled onto the floor.
What she didn’t realize was that one of the officers had spotted her red jacket through a crack in the door.
When the backroom door creaked open, Mariah spun around, eyes wide. Her daughters clung to each other on the far side of the room, confused and terrified. Officers say this was the moment everything changed — Mariah wasn’t thinking clearly, and instead of cooperating, she tried something reckless.
According to the fictional police report, she suddenly urged her daughters to walk toward the officers while she attempted to slip out the opposite door in the chaos. But the officers quickly guided the girls aside and blocked her exit.
“Mariah, stop!” one officer can be heard saying. “We’re not here to hurt you — but you need to stop running.”
For a moment, she froze. Her chest heaved. Her hands shook. And then, in one desperate move, she grabbed a box of merchandise and tried to throw it behind the officers as a distraction. It didn’t work.
Within seconds, officers had secured her hands and placed her under temporary detainment. Meanwhile, another officer guided the girls to a safer area, reassuring them that everything would be okay.
What stunned viewers most was what Mariah said after being caught.
“This wasn’t supposed to happen,” she whispered through tears. “I wasn’t trying to get them involved… I just panicked.”
In the fictional aftermath, child-services representatives were called to ensure the girls were safe and unharmed. Officers described them as “scared but incredibly brave.” The store manager later confirmed that none of the children were in trouble and that they were given water, blankets, and comfort while officials handled the situation.
The police chief addressed the incident in a brief statement:
“Running from the law is dangerous. Running with children involved is worse. We’re grateful no one was hurt.”
The clip has since gone viral, with viewers both shocked and heartbroken. Many expressed sympathy for the daughters, while others pointed out how quickly desperation can cloud judgment.
Part 3 will cover what officers discovered during questioning — and why Mariah says she felt she had “no other choice.”