A Minnesota woman’s racist outburst toward a Black child had folks online fuming in recent days. Despite being on camera, Shiloh Hendrix continued to hurl the n-word toward the five-year-old and his caretaker at a playground. Ultimately, Hendrix went home and started a fundraiser on GiveSendGo, claiming her safety was threatened after the incident video went viral. So far, she’s raised over $700,000 and inspired others to drop equally racist comments on the fundraising platform. Now, GiveSendGo’s founder is speaking out about how the platform will and will not step in.
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Details About N-Word Encounter With Black Child In Minnesota
According to NBC News, the incident happened on April 28 at a public park in Rochester, Minnesota. Sharmake Omar was in the area when he noticed Shiloh Hendrix allegedly berating a 5-year-old boy whose parents he knows. He revealed to the outlet that the boy is diagnosed with autism and was at the park with his parents and three siblings. When Omar stepped in to address Hendrix, she admitted to calling the Somalian child the n-word. She also started shouting it at Omar, and that part he caught on camera.
But Shiloh remained unfazed, accusing the child of digging through her bag and taking her “son’s stuff.” It’s unclear what “stuff” she’s referring to, but she held up an applesauce pouch when Omar questioned her. Shiloh, who is white, also justified using the slur, saying: “If that’s what he’s going to act like.” At no point did she express remorse, and even taunted Omar with facial expressions and the middle finger. Additionally, the whole time she was poppin’ off, she had a child in her arms, too.
On May 2, Omar told NBC News that the five-year-old boy Shiloh verbally attacked was “visibly upset by the incident.” He also said Shiloh told him that he and his wife are a drain on the welfare system and shouldn’t have any more kids — a baseless comment given that they did not know each other’s personal lives.
What Does The GiveSendGo Fundraiser Say?
Despite standing ten toes at the park, Shiloh Hendrix quickly changed her tune after the video ended up online. In her GiveSendGo fundraiser, she claimed to be put in a “dire” situation, and accused the Black child she verbally attacked of stealing from her 18-month-old’s diaper bag. “I called the kid out for what he was,” Shiloh wrote, referring to calling the five-year-old a “n***a.” She then accused Omar of having “a history with law enforcement” and of following her to her car. She added that his posting the videos from the park has brought “great turmoil.”
“My SSN has been leaked. My address, and phone number have been given out freely. My family members are being attacked. My eldest child may not be going back to school. Even where I exercise has been exposed. I am asking for your help to assist in protecting my family. I fear that we must relocate. I have two small children who do not deserve this. We have been threatened to the extreme by people online. Anything will help! We cannot, and will not live in fear,” Shiloh claimed.
The initial fundraising goal has been bumped a few times, with the latest being $1 million. On Wednesday, the donations were still coming in and sitting at over $739,000. She added an update on May 2, saying she’s “never felt so scared, yet reassured” in her life.
“We are currently doing okay. No one has been harmed, and we are getting by. We are taking the proper procedures in order to stay safe from these constant threats. I’m still very frightened, and I don’t think I will feel safe until we can escape completely. I am so grateful to all of you who have donated to my family. I never would have imagined that we would be supported to such an extreme. It still feel as if it’s too good to be true, and it’s all going to disappear. It’s such a strange feeling to be living in a blissful dream and a nightmare simultaneously. Thank you all for your continuous support and love. We have to keep fighting for the safety of all our families, not just mine.”
To be clear, Omar’s history with the law includes an arrest in March in connection with the sexual assault of a female teen in Rochester. He pleaded not guilty to the charges dropped on March 14, per KIMT.
Editor’s Note: Due to the nature of the incident, The Shade Room will not link Shiloh Hendrix’s fundraiser. However, it was still live on GiveSendGo’s website at the time of publishing.
Platform Founder Responds To Take-Down Requests
As the internet continues to rage about the incident (on both sides), GiveSendGo’s founder and chief executive issued a statement to The Washington Post. Jacob Wells confirmed he’s aware of concerns about the fundraiser. In response, his team restricted comments “due to the volume of inappropriate remarks that violated our policies.” Those comments reportedly included denials of the Holocaust and praise for white nationalism. Still, that’s as far as the platform is willing to intervene, per Wells.
“We understand the sensitivity of this situation and the strong emotions it has evoked,” the founder said. “GiveSendGo does not endorse or condone the personal views or actions of individual campaign organizers or their supporters, nor do we control the motivations of donors.”
In addition to GiveSendGo, the Rochester Police Department in Minnesota has also confirmed it’s aware of the park incident. “We are gathering information and actively looking into the matter,” the department said.
It’s unclear if the child’s parents plan to press charges against Shiloh, but Omar told NBC News they are in support of her prosecution.
