Mother says son traumatized after nail salon dispute: 'You just put your hands on my son'

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - The mother of an 8-year-old boy who Gwinnett County police say was held inside a nail salon during a dispute over a bill says the incident crossed a line and should never happen in any business.

Gwinnett County nail salon employee arrested

The backstory:

Police say the incident happened Sunday at a nail salon along the 2900 block of Buford Drive after a disagreement over the cost of services escalated beyond a typical billing dispute.

Selina Stevenson told investigators the salon employee asked her to leave after a dispute over the final price. Stevenson says she gathered her children to walk toward the front of the salon. As they were walking out, police say the employee, later identified as 42-year-old Nancy Nguyen, pulled Stevenson’s 8-year-old son back inside the business and locked the door.

Gwinnett County police said officers were called to the scene, where they reviewed security footage and interviewed those involved. Based on that investigation, police determined the child had been unlawfully prevented from leaving and arrested Nguyen on a charge of false imprisonment involving a child younger than 14.

Nguyen was booked into the Gwinnett County Jail that afternoon and later released after posting a cash bond, according to jail records.

Mother on nail salon encounter: ‘I had every intention of paying’

What they're saying:

Stevenson told FOX 5 she questioned her bill after noticing additional charges.

"She was just basically saying all this other stuff was added onto the bill," Stevenson said. "I questioned the price."

According to Stevenson, the employee became irritated and told her to leave.

"She told me if I didn’t like the price, then I could leave," Stevenson said. "I attempted to leave. I just get up, and I just walked to the door."

Stevenson said she began gathering her children, placing her 1-year-old daughter into a stroller as her 8-year-old son, Saahir, headed toward the exit.

"She just pulls him in and locks the door. We were inside," Stevenson said.

A Gwinnett County police report states Nguyen "was seen grabbing the child by the shoulder and pulling him back into the business, then locking the door."

Cpl. Angela Carter with the Gwinnett County Police Department said Nguyen told officers the child was not allowed to leave until payment was made.

"The suspect said, ‘You’re not leaving until your mother pays for her services,’" Carter said.

Stevenson said she never intended to leave without paying.

"I had every intention of paying," she said.

Stevenson said she eventually got herself and her children out of the salon and called police.

"The fact that you just put your hands on my son, we’re going to wait for the cops to come," she said.

Officers later returned to the business and arrested Nguyen outside the salon.

"To hold an 8-year-old hostage in a nail salon over a payment is definitely taking things too far," Carter said.

Stevenson said her son has been traumatized by the incident.

"You have to learn how to treat people. You need to learn how to conduct a business," she said.

Ultimately, Stevenson says she did pay the $178 bill. 

Buford Highway nail salon's response

The other side:

FOX 5 went to the salon to get its side of the story. But the business was closed.

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