Woman Defends Her Confession That She Doesn't Return Shopping Cart After Millions Respond to Her Admission

In a TikTok, Leslie Dobson reveals why she doesn't roll her cart back once she's finished shopping

Empty shopping carts in shopping center parking
Stock photo of shopping carts in shopping center parking. Photo:

Sergey Dolgikh/Getty

One woman is sharing a candid confession: she never returns her shopping cart.

In a TikTok video, which has gone viral, garnering over 11 million views, Leslie Dobson reveals the reasoning behind why she doesn't take the time to roll her cart back to its rightful place once she's finished shopping.

"I'm not returning my shopping cart and you can judge me all you want," Dobson, a clinical and forensic psychologist in Los Angeles, starts off the video.

"I'm not getting my groceries into my car, getting my children into the car and then leaving them in the car to go return the cart. So if you're going to give me a dirty look, f--- off," she adds.

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Happy Asian woman carrying the shopping bag at the outdoor car parking of department store.
Stock photo of woman pushing shopping cart.

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Since posting, Dobson, who has two kids ages 3 and 7, has faced criticism and sparked heated debate, with many accusing her of entitlement. 

"Girlypop it takes less than 30 seconds to drop your cart off," one comment reads. "Your kids will be absolutely fine in a locked car for a literal 30 seconds, and you less than 100ft away. Be FR."

"Here is a secret third option: u unload the groceries and together with the kids u go return the cart - also teaching them to do it as a byproduct," another user writes.

"I have 3 kids and I either park right next to a return or bring them with me to return the cart 😭 It’s just the decent thing to do," someone else shares.

Empty customer car parking and shopping cart near East Point Mall
Stock photo of shopping carts.

Sergey Klopotov/Getty

After receiving criticism on her post, Dobson filmed a follow up video where she shared more of her reasoning about why she doesn't return the cart.

"It's May 31 and about 6 million people have freaked out over me not returning my shopping cart because my kids are in the car," she says. "So I want to give you some statistics."

"Last year 265 children were abducted in parking lots in America, half of those were sexually assaulted," she claims. "As a single mom returning your shopping cart, you are prime for a predator to watch and grab you."

According to the nonprofit Kids and Car Safety, in the United States in 2022, at least 265 children were abducted during car thefts. The nonprofit explains that most often thieves watch for vehicles to be left unattended with the keys inside or left running.

Speaking to the Los Angeles Times Dobson revealed that she didn't expect people to react to her video the way they have. She said she's even received death threats.

“It may not be hundreds of thousands of trafficked women or stolen cars, but I don’t care,” Dobson told The Times. “For me, if it’s even one that we could have prevented why not? Over a shopping cart?"

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