Social media users are claiming that Abigail Elphick, who became dubbed as "Victoria's Secret Karen" on social media after a viral video showed her having a mental breakdown following a confrontation with a black woman at a Millburn, New Jersey, mall, walked away from the incident without any consequences because she's the daughter of a police lieutenant.
Elphick, a teacher's aide by profession, is seen approaching Ijeoma Ukenta, who is of Nigerian origin, and try to hit her phone out of her hand in the video footage shot by Ukenta before breaking down in hysterics and crying as she realizes she is being filmed, as previously reported.
In the clips, Elphick screams and yells at Ukenta, complaining about being recorded and chasing her around the store in an apparent attempt to force her to stop filming. She later called the cops on Ukenta and accused her of threatening her. Millburn police officers did show up at the scene but was heavily criticized on social media after Elphick walked away scot-free.
Who is Kimberley Elphick?
Not long after the video went viral, social media users claimed that Elphick's mother, Kimberley Elphick, worked for a neighboring police department, citing a LinkedIn profile as seeming proof.
"Let's not forget her Police Lieutenant mother, which is presumably why she faced zero consequence," wrote one user, while another commented, "Abigail's mother is Kimberly Elphick who is a Lieutenant at nearby Secaucus Police Department Explains why the cops aren't interested in penalizing Abigail at all and why even the concept of a penalty seems totally foreign to Abigail.
Here are some of the tweets:
An online obituary for Abigail's father, Andrew Elphick, also listed her mother's name as Kimberley Elphick. "[The decedent] is survived by the love of his life, his wife Kimberley (nee Chaddon) Elphick, of Cedar Grove; his three loved children: Andrew D. Elphick of Mahwah, Abigail Elphick of Florham Park and Tara Elphick of Louisiana; five dear siblings: Mark Elphick, Arthur Elphick, William Elphick, Susan Spitler and Shirley Schilare; and four loved grandchildren," the obituary read.
Fact-Check
There is no evidence to support the claim that Abigail's mother is the same woman as the police lieutenant other than the fact that they share a similar name. The Secaucus Police Department also released a statement confirming that none of their officers were related to Abigail.
"Our Department has been in receipt of numerous phone calls, messages, comments etc. regarding a viral video in Victoria's Secret/Short Hills Mall due to the misidentification of one of our officers for simply sharing the same last name as one of the involved persons," the post read.
"The Secaucus Police Department has no connection nor involvement with the incident referred to in the attached press release, and the Millburn Police Department's actions or inactions shall be addressed with them," the department noted. "Additionally, NO OFFICER from the Secaucus Police Department is related to any person involved in this incident."
