A three-year-old’s accident at a local cafe drew national attention over the weekend after a New Jersey mother said she was prevented from leaving until providing personal information.
Kathy Denman said her daughter accidentally pushed over a marble table at the Hazelnut Cafe in Ocean County. The table, sold for nearly $1,600, shattered on the floor. Surveillance footage shows the child striking the table with her foot before it toppled.
Denman shared the incident in a TikTok video that went viral, saying she felt “humiliated and embarrassed.” She said the café’s staff insisted she stay while speaking to the owners by phone and repeatedly cited a “you break it, you pay for it” policy. She said she remained in the café for about 20 minutes.
The café’s owners, sisters Kimberly and Jenna Campfield, denied that Denman was held against her will or asked to pay. They said she was only asked for contact information for insurance purposes. In a statement, they said no charges were made and that they had expressed concern for the child and offered support.
Denman later confirmed she accepted an apology from the café owners and said she wanted to move forward peacefully. The table has since been removed from the café to prevent similar incidents.
No injuries were reported.
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.