Parents Speak Out After Cops Called on Black Babysitter

A white Atlanta couple whose children were out with their black babysitter when someone called police on the group says the kids were "scared" by the experience. "They said they were scared that they would say the wrong thing and cause him to get arrested," Dana Mango told Good Morning America Wednesday. Mango and David Parker have been friends with Corey Lewis for a long time, and he has watched their two children for years. He was out with the 6- and 10-year-olds Sunday when a white woman approached them in a Walmart parking lot. After asking whether the kids were OK and saying the situation looked "weird" to her, the woman followed Lewis and the kids, Lewis told GMA. After the group arrived back home, a police officer arrived—having been called there by the woman.

The officer ended up calling Mango and Parker to confirm the children were allowed to be with Lewis. "The officer was actually apologetic," Mango said. "I think he was embarrassed. He saw what was happening pretty quickly, and after he spoke to me and confirmed that everything was all right, he let them go." After getting the call while they were out to dinner, "It truly took me several minutes to believe that it was real. I was just in a state of disbelief,” Mango said. "B-W-B which I guess is the new thing, babysitting while black," Lewis said to CBS 46 when the story was first reported. The station notes that he runs a youth mentoring program, Inspired by Lewis. (More racial profiling stories.)