Shiloh Hendrix, the woman captured in a viral video using a racial slur against a child at a park in April, will face three counts of disorderly conduct, the Rochester City Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday.
Possible Penalties
If convicted, Hendrix faces up to 90 days in jail and/or a $1,000 fine. The charges remain subject to review and approval by a district court judge.
A spokesperson for the City Attorney’s Office said the legal complaint concludes that Hendrix “wrongfully and unlawfully engaged in offensive, obscene, abusive, boisterous, or noisy conduct, or in offensive obscene, or abusive language that would reasonably tend to arouse alarm, anger, or resentment in others.”
The Incident and Viral Video
The confrontation took place in April when Hendrix accused a five-year-old Somali child of stealing her toddler’s diaper bag. In the exchange, recorded by a bystander,
Hendrix admitted to using the racial slur.
MAN: “Did you call the child the N-WORD?”
HENDRIX: “Yeah, what if he acts like one… he took my son’s stuff.”
The video quickly went viral online, sparking widespread condemnation and leading to Hendrix being branded a racist.
NEW: Woman calls a kid the N-WORD with the HARD-R and accuses him of taking her son’s stuff
MAN: “Did you call the child the N-WORD?”
WOMAN: “Yeah, what if he acts like one… he took my son’s stuff.”
MAN: “So you so that gives you the right to call the child the N-WORD.”… pic.twitter.com/7EY8Frb9j6
— Unlimited L’s (@unlimited_ls) May 1, 2025
Fallout and Fundraiser
Following the backlash, Hendrix said she and her family faced stalking, doxxing, and threats after her personal information — including her address and Social Security number — was leaked online.
In response, she raised more than $880,000 on GiveSendGo to help relocate and protect her family.
Prosecutors’ Review
The City Attorney’s Office said the case involved a “large amount of evidence” and required careful review across multiple offices. Minnesota law also required prosecutors to consider the victim’s family’s perspective before moving forward.
“Given the sensitive and complicated nature of this case, along with the high level of public attention, completing the necessary reviews and conversations with the victim’s family took longer than usual,” the office explained.
