Young white boy writes heinous racial slur on wall at mall (2025)

15 shares

A young boy was filmed writing the N-word on the wall of a huge shopping center in front of shocked families, with his parents nowhere to be found.

Shoppers at the American Dream Mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey, were in disbelief as the boy drew the offensive word on Monday.

The wall is part of the popular Lilo and Stitch pop-up at the mall, next door to MetLife Stadium where the New York Giants and Jets play.

Fake fur pulled over the wall allows children to draw on it by stroking it in the opposite direction, then flatten it out and start over.

Video shot by one shopper showed several women confronting the boy,who looked no older than 10, about what he wrote and explaining it was offensive.

'Do you think that's appropriate to write on the wall?' one asked, to which the child shrugged and replied 'not really'.

'Then why would you do it?' the shopper asked. The boy offered to erase it, and the woman said he should, and to 'have some respect'.

Tanya Colon, whose best friend was at the mall with her young daughter and took photos and videos of the incident, said everyone was 'in disbelief'.

'It's sad that a child that age even knows how to spell such a horrible word, and know what it means,' she told DailyMail.com.

'It's sad that black children who were at that mall and witnessed this, who know nothing about the meaning of that word and what it represents had to be exposed to that.

'My best friend's daughter is six. She has no idea what that word means and the hate behind it. She was so confused on why her mom was upset by it.

'And it's scary how he felt so comfortable writing that word on the wall, like he was in the comfort of his own home.'

Colon said the boy's parents were to blame as he would have picked it up from them using it around him.

'I think it starts at home. This is learned behavior,' she said.

Colon said the shoppers who witnessed the incident tried to find the boy's parents to tell them what he did, but they were nowhere to be found.

American Dream management said it was actively looking into the matter.

'American Dream welcomes and embraces all individuals, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, or background,' it said.

'We have zero tolerance for bigotry, discrimination, or hatred in any form.'

Several shoppers also submitted complaints.

The mall is also North America's biggest indoor theme and water park with rides, waterslides, a wave pool, ice skating rink, aquarium, mini golf, and game rooms in addition to shops and restaurants.

The Lilo and Stitch installation has been a hit on TikTok.

New Jersey

Add your comment