Children Were Almost Taken From Their Mother After Using Taco Bell's Wi-Fi

Source: Mike Egerton – PA Images / Getty

Two young girls were nearly taken from their mother after Taco Bell employees discovered them outside of the restaurant while temporarily using their Wi-Fi for school.

A photo of the girls outside of a Taco Bell in Salinas, California ended up going viral, which shows them sitting on the ground with their laptops and homework as two employees talk to them.

Many people online were devastated by the girls’ lack of resources, pointing to the digital inaccessibility in certain marginalized communities that is only being highlighted now that many schools have gone remote due to the coronavirus pandemic. Others, however, were concerned that the children were being neglected by their parents.

That’s when Salinas City Elementary School District came forward and said that the kids are students in the district, which is currently working to amend the situation and supply internet hotspots for the girls.

Unfortunately, the perceived neglect ended up leading to a welfare check at the home of these young girls.

Child Protective Services officials investigated the situation to see if there was any child neglect or abuse happening, but since they found nothing, they left. Still, the family remained in trouble as they were about to become homeless because they couldn’t pay rent. This news caused local community members to step up and help the family, pulling resources together so that they could stay in a hotel for the meantime. Concerned citizens even launched a GoFundMe for the family.

Luckily, the mother and her children are currently safe and staying in a hotel.