Woman loses job after 'physically assaulting black teenager for swimming at community pool'
Woman dubbed 'pool patrol paula' as she becomes latest white American to become a viral sensation for phoning police about black people
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Your support makes all the difference.A skincare company cut ties with a woman known online as "pool patrol paula" after she allegedly assaulted a black teenager who was visiting a community swimming pool.
Stephanie Sebby-Strempel reportedly became enraged during a trip to her local pool in Summerville, South Carolina, when she spotted two black teenage guests of another resident swimming.
One of them filmed her screaming: “Get out! Get out! Get out! Now!”
Threatening to call the police, she added: “There’s three numbers I can call: 9-1-1."
Ms Sebby-Strempel seemingly proceeded to shove one of the boys, DJ RocQuemore Simmons, in his chest while claiming the two “didn’t belong” at the community pool.
In a statement, skincare company Rodan + Fields said it had cut ties with Ms Sebby-Strempel, who was an independent contractor for the company.
“We do not condone violence of any kind and pride ourselves on embracing inclusion and acceptance of all,” the company said in a statement.
Ms Sebby-Strempel was arrested and charged with third-degree assault after members of the teenagers’ family uploaded the video to Facebook and contacted local authorities.
The video has been viewed over a million times, with many users calling the woman “pool patrol patty.”
It is the latest of nicknames given to a white person who has allegedly called the police on black people who do not appear to be doing anything wrong.
In recent weeks the internet has created viral sensations out of “BBQ Becky,” a woman who called the police about black men barbecuing in the park.
“Permit Patty” was also widely shared after she called the police about a eight-year-old selling cold water outside.
Mr RocQuemore Simmons' family insisted the swimming pool incident was not amusing.
“No child including mine or anybody else’s ever, ever, deserves that type of abuse or treatment,” his mother, Deanna RocQuemore, told WMC Action News. ”And to be struck not once, not twice, but three times by someone that is upset because of the color of someone’s skin, and they don’t belong at their swimming pool.”
An attorney for Ms Sebby-Strempel told the bond court judge presiding over her case they’re “not terribly concerned with it but will say there are certainly more than one side of the story on that charge,” referring to the assault on a minor charge she received.
Ms Sebby-Strempel has been released on $65,000 (£49.200) bail.
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