SC mother says she was asked by security to leave Angel Oak park for breastfeeding
JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. April 21 2021 A Lowcountry woman said she was asked to leave a public park for breastfeeding her kids.
Kyla Pugliese said she was at The Angel Oak Tree over the weekend and was breastfeeding her two children when a security guard told her people were uncomfortable.
“I was saying I have no problem leaving, but I am going to finish breastfeeding my kids first. I am not going to unlatch them. I am not doing anything wrong,” she said.
The mother of two said the security guard told her he would call Charleston Police if she wasn’t going to move.
“When I did go to leave, I took a picture of the officer’s badge, and then he started to follow me out and says ‘that’s enough, I am going to detain you,'” Pugliese added.
Pugliese said she recently lost her husband and the Angel Oak Tree holds a special place in her heart.
“My husband was just killed in a car accident, and this is somewhere that we used to go all the time, and I wanted to bring our kids there for the first time and this is not at all what I thought was going to happen. It was supposed to be something that was enjoyable and relaxing,” she said.
Naomi Hambleton, a Lowcountry lactation consultant, said the video capturing the exchange with the security guard surprised her.
“I think there is so much more education about what’s going on, that people know that women have a right to breastfeed their babies anywhere they want,” Hambleton said.
Hambleton also works with several breastfeeding advocacy groups.
“I can’t imagine an infant having to wait to feed. They have to feed when they have to feed. It’s just common decency really,” Hambleton said.
Chloe Field, a City of Charleston spokesperson, provided ABC News 4 with a statement regarding the incident.
“The City is very concerned about these reports and has directed the Legal Department to conduct a thorough review of the entire matter. In the meantime, all city employees are being reminded that South Carolina law explicitly protects breast feeding in any public area where mother and child are allowed to be, and the outside security guard involved in this incident will not be working at any city facility until the matter has been fully investigated and resolved.”
Pugliese explained that support is out there for other breastfeeding mothers.
“People need to know that we’re just feeding our children. There is nothing wrong with that. Just like some people bottle-feed, some people eat with a fork. Most babies drink from a breast. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s not taboo,” she said.
There’s a Facebook event for a nurse-in at the Angel Oak in mid-May.
ABC News 4 also contacted the security company but haven’t received a response yet.
WCIV
