Human trafficking at Hardeeville Walmart? What officials say about viral Facebook post

Recent social media posts about suspected human trafficking at the Hardeeville Walmart last weekend had some area residents worried, but Jasper County Sheriff Chris Malphrus said parts of the reports were unfounded.

“This thing got blown way out of proportion,” Malphrus said.

He said investigators spoke by phone with a woman who said three males made her feel uncomfortable while she was shopping on Friday about 3 p.m. One of them got closer to her than normal, she told deputies, and asked an employee to escort her to her car.

A Facebook post about the incident by one of the woman’s friends, Laura Lyons Karrh of Hilton Head Island, said that a woman seemed overly interested in her friend’s baby and that the men followed her friend around the store for 45 minutes. The post was shared nearly 1,300 times and had more than 200 reactions. The Facebook post said the men were “suspected traffickers.”

Malphrus said posts on Facebook can make things seem like a lot bigger problem than they really are.

He said there is no evidence that the incident is in any way related to human trafficking or kidnapping.

Details from an earlier incident at the Pooler Walmart were mixed into accounts on social media about the Hardeeville report and caused unnecessary concern, he said.

In a news release, Malphrus reminded shoppers to keep their eyes on children, be aware of their surroundings and call 911 immediately with concerns.

This story was originally published January 17, 2018 at 4:29 PM with the headline "Human trafficking at Hardeeville Walmart? What officials say about viral Facebook post."