'16 and Pregnant' Star Arrested for Stealing Walmart Pregnancy Test
Ever wonder what happened to 16 and Pregnant star Whitney Purvis? No? Well, you're going to find out.
The now 20-year-old was arrested on Thursday for stealing a pregnancy test from a Georgia Walmart. She allegedly concealed the test in her hoodie and then snuck into the store's bathroom.
She then peed on the stick.
The results of the test are unknown, as Purvis was subsequently busted by security. Instead of paying the $15.98 price, she tried to slither out the side door.
Police hauled the famous teenage mother into the station, booking her on misdemeanor theft by shoplifting, reports gossip site TMZ. This probably would not have happened if she had instead tried to pay for the test after peeing on it.
This is because most theft statutes require a suspect to have intended to deprive the owner of the property's value. For example, Georgia's shoplifting law requires a suspect to act "with the intent of appropriating merchandise to his own use without paying for the same or to deprive the owner of possession thereof or of the value thereof."
If Whitney Purvis had tried to pay for the pregnancy test, she would have demonstrated no intent to take the merchandise. This is true even if she did use it first.
Now, this doesn't mean you're free to use pregnancy tests or eat food while in a grocery store. If you're caught in the act, there's no proof but your word that you intended to pay. And if you're anything like Whitney Purvis, it's unlikely anyone will believe you.
Related Resources:
- '16 and Pregnant' Star Arrested For Shoplifting Pregnancy Test (Fox News)
- Theft Overview (FindLaw)
- What Qualifies as Shoplifting? (FindLaw Blotter)