The Dark Side Of Chuck E. Cheese's

Chuck E. Cheese is a popular arcade and entertainment pizza place with locations across the US and abroad. While the restaurant is designed to be a fun and safe place for children, several unfortunate incidents have occurred at Chuck E. Cheese locations over the years. From arrests and fights between parents to allegations of racial discrimination and child abductions, these incidents have attracted media attention and raised concerns about safety and inclusivity.

A fight broke out between parents at a children's birthday party

A children's birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese ended in chaos as a fight broke out between parents, resulting in multiple arrests and a disturbing scene for the young guests. The incident, which occurred at the North Charleston, South Carolina location, began when two 12-year-olds started to argue and physically fight. Instead of de-escalating the situation, the parents of the children became involved, and the dispute quickly escalated into a full-blown brawl.

As the fight intensified, someone pulled out a gun, prompting a call to the North Charleston Police Department. The police arrived to find a chaotic scene, with a large crowd of adults arguing and attempting to physically attack one another. The officers worked to break up the fight and detain those involved, but the aggressive behaviour continued even as the business was being cleared.

Three individuals, Lizeller Dixon, Dashawn Malik Grant, and Jasmine Ciera Judge, were charged with breach of the peace. Dixon and Grant were arrested and taken into custody, while Judge was cited and released at the scene after failing to follow police orders to stop approaching other groups and yelling.

The police also briefly detained an unidentified man for allegedly assaulting a security guard, but he was released after the guard could not positively identify him. Unfortunately, the young guests at the birthday party were exposed to this violent outburst, and the incident left a sour note on what was supposed to be a joyful celebration.

This is not an isolated incident at Chuck E. Cheese, as the same location had previous issues in 2016, including a shooting and a burglary. The community activist, Elvin Speights, emphasised that adults need to behave appropriately in establishments like Chuck E. Cheese, which is primarily a place for children to enjoy themselves safely.

In a separate incident, Chuck E. Cheese also faced criticism when a family accused one of their characters of ignoring their 2-year-old Black daughter at a birthday party in their Wayne, New Jersey location. The mother, Natyana Muhammad, shared videos that appeared to show the character giving high fives to Caucasian children while blatantly ignoring her daughter, even when the child actively tried to get the character's attention.

A Chuck E. Cheese character allegedly ignored a Black child

On July 30, 2022, a Chuck E. Cheese character was accused of ignoring a Black child at a birthday party in one of the chain's restaurants in Wayne, New Jersey. Natyana Muhammad, the mother of the 2-year-old girl, Safa, posted a video of the incident to Twitter the following day. The video, which has garnered millions of views, shows the restaurant's mouse mascot walking along one side of a stage, giving high-fives to a line of children, all of whom appear to be white. Safa, dressed in a pink tulle skirt, can be seen excitedly jumping up and down and waving her arms. She then holds out her hand for a high-five, but the mascot turns away and walks in the other direction.

"On July 30 at Chuck E Cheese in Wayne, NJ, my [two-year-old] was racially discriminated against, " Muhammad wrote in the tweet. "As you can see, he gives all of the [white] kids high-fives and PURPOSELY ignored my Black baby. When confronted, he ignored me as well."

Muhammad said she complained to the restaurant manager, who apologised that she "felt that way" but claimed the mascot did not see her daughter, even after being shown the video evidence. Muhammad told ABC-7, "She put her hand out. It was her turn. He just put his hand in and down acting like he didn't see her."

In a statement, Chuck E. Cheese said they were "deeply saddened" by the incident and thanked the family for bringing it to their attention. The company also emphasised their commitment to providing an "inclusive experience" for children and parents of all races and ethnicities.

This incident is not the first time a costumed character at a children's entertainment venue has been accused of racial discrimination. In July 2022, a character at Sesame Place in Philadelphia was accused of ignoring two Black children during a parade, sparking widespread outrage and leading to a $25 million class-action lawsuit against the park.

A non-custodial mother abducted her 4-year-old son

A mother has abducted her 4-year-old son, Ashton Davis, from a Chuck E. Cheese restaurant in North Richland Hills, Texas. The child's non-custodial mother was arrested after taking Ashton from the popular arcade and entertainment pizza place. The mother, described as a white female, approximately 5'6" with a thin build, was last seen wearing a grey hoodie and ripped jeans. She left the scene in a black, older model Toyota 4-Runner driven by a male companion. The Texas license plate of the vehicle is believed to be LMM7436.

Fortunately, the authorities were able to locate Ashton and ensure his safe return. The North Richland Hills Police Department expressed their relief, stating, "We are happy to report that the child has been located and is safe. Thank you for all the shares to help bring Ashton home!" This incident is not an isolated case of trouble at Chuck E. Cheese locations. The franchise has been at the centre of several controversies and incidents over the years.

In August 2022, a children's birthday party at the North Charleston, South Carolina branch ended with arrests after a large fight broke out. Police were called to the scene and arrested three individuals while temporarily detaining a fourth. The incident began when two 12-year-olds started fighting, which then escalated to involve parents and eventually led to police intervention.

In another incident, a mother spoke out after a Chuck E. Cheese character allegedly ignored her 2-year-old daughter, Safa Muhammad, at a birthday party in Wayne, New Jersey. Natyana Muhammad, the child's mother, shared videos that appeared to show the character giving high-fives to other children while leaving her daughter hanging. She expressed her disappointment, especially as a first-time mom, stating that it was hurtful to witness someone ignore her child. Chuck E. Cheese released a statement expressing sadness when any family or child has a less-than-perfect experience and emphasised their commitment to providing an inclusive environment.

Additionally, misinformation about five children going missing from a Chuck E. Cheese restaurant spread online, with a fake USA Today headline circulating on social media. However, this claim was fact-checked and rated as false, with no evidence supporting the story.

False claims about missing children spread online

False claims about missing children at Chuck E. Cheese have spread online. In 2022, an Instagram post claimed that "5 children have gone missing inside a Chuck E. Cheese. Parents report smells coming..." This was followed by what looked like an abbreviated USA Today headline. However, this was false. There was no such headline on the USA Today website, nor any evidence that the newspaper reported on children missing at the restaurant. The image was flagged as part of Facebook's efforts to combat misinformation.

In 2020, a fan of the horror franchise Five Nights at Freddy's shared screenshots of news stories on Twitter that claimed five children had gone missing at the same Chuck E. Cheese location, strange odours could be smelt coming from the animatronics, and an after-hours employee died at a relatively young age. These stories were hoaxes and had never been published on the news sites that were seen in the images.

In 2011, a rumour spread that the bodies of children killed in Chuck E. Cheese were still missing. This was also false. The business was closed about 30 minutes before a tornado hit, and no one was in the restaurant at the time.

A man was briefly detained for allegedly hitting a security guard

On Saturday, August 20, 2022, a brawl broke out at a Chuck E. Cheese in North Charleston, South Carolina. The fight started between two 12-year-olds before escalating to involve their parents and other adults. Police were called to the scene at around 6:30 pm, responding to reports of a large fight and someone with a gun.

Upon arrival, officers found a crowd of people "arguing and attempting to attack one another" inside the business. The entertainment center's security guard was struck in the head by a man involved in the brawl when he tried to restrain him. The man was briefly detained but later released as the security guard could not positively identify him.

Two other people were arrested and charged with breach of peace, and a third was given a court summons. The security guard also reported that the man who punched him was pulling away from being handcuffed.

The incident reflects a concerning trend of violence and unrest at what is supposed to be a family-friendly establishment. This particular Chuck E. Cheese location has a history of similar incidents, with police being called in 2016 for a shooting and a burglary. The community activist, Elvin Speights, emphasized that adults need to behave appropriately in such environments, as Chuck E. Cheese is primarily a place for children.

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