Louisiana Woman Fears She May Have Been Victim of ‘Poison Napkin’ as State Officials Warns Public of Scheme
A woman in New Orleans shared a suspect experience in hopes that it will help others stay aware of their surroundings but some details are leaving people with more questions than answers.
The video was originally posted on Instagram by @theberrybae504 after she claims a man followed her and her child for over three hours at a local zoo.
Be warned that the clip features very NSFW language but the woman believes she's being followed by a man in an orange shirt and fears that it could be some type of human trafficking attempt, so she continues to record with her cell phone until she is then seen talking with security.
After security walks her to her car safely, the mother notices napkins stuffed in both car door handles.
If you're unfamiliar with the "poison napkin" scheme, this viral story out of Houston, TX can explain everything, but basically, a woman who also found napkins in her door handles ended up getting acute poisoning after touching the door handles where the napkins were placed on her vehicle.
As a matter of fact, DeSoto Parish officials are warning folks in Louisiana to be on the lookout for the napkin scheme according to KSLA.
DeSoto officials say while they have not received any reports of this incident happening locally, Houston is not far away, and this crime could make its way to the Bayou State.
This woman's story was received with mixed reactions, and while it's understandable that people live in an age of social media where it's hard to take what we see at face value, the woman did post an update from the hospital after allegedly being treated for an overdose.
Instagram user @jdcarrere has been giving updates on the story after looking into the situation that the woman described.
Some pointed out that the woman had on a medical bracelet while filming her videos, but this interview from WDSU shows the mother being interviewed back in Jude regarding health issues with her daughter.
Another clip from @jdcarrere included an official statement from the Audubon Zoo who confirmed that their security escorted the mother and her kids to her car where they witnessed her children being buckled in, and the woman driving off.
UPDATE: A woman claiming to be the mother in the video sat down for an interview with Instagram user @fathersadvocacy to clarify some of the details that viewers were most skeptical about.
There may be more questions than answers surrounding the video, but people who have commented on the multiple accounts where the clip is posted are saying regardless of the details, this is something that the public should be vigilant about—plus, sharing her experience could help at least one person avoid danger.
Another thing to consider is that when things like this happen, there is also the possibility that someone will copycat the napkin scheme; whether it's someone pulling a prank, pulling a scam, or perhaps someone with evil intentions.
Regardless of what they find, we will update this story when and if NOPD delivers a statement or a comment on the incident involving the woman and her alleged experience at the zoo.
Either way, stay on alert out there and don't hesitate to alert the authorities if you are ever in a situation where you don't feel safe.