PICKENS COUNTY, SC (WYFF) - When
Hunter Bearden stole $60 from his sister's wallet, the 13-year-old
probably wasn't thinking about the consequences, but he is now.
As
punishment for stealing and lying, Bearden's father, Grover Bearden, is
making his son hold a sign along Calhoun Memorial Highway that reads, "I
like to steal, and lie, and be disrespectful to others."
"For
the rest of the week, I have to stand out here in the hot weather, and
everything," said Hunter Bearden. "I did like to steal, lie, and
disrespect others, but I'm going to try not to now."
Hunter Bearden is holding the sign in front of his father's taxidermy shop, while his dad looks on.
"(My
dad) held back on a spanking, and decided to think about the punishment
with my stepmom, and I think that this is working out so far, and the
hot weather -- I'm worn down, and I haven't been inside except for a
couple minutes today, so I'm thankful for his discipline to make me a
better person," said Hunter Bearden.
People who passed by had mixed reactions to the punishment.
"I
think it is the best idea in the world. I think it'll get through to
him, and I bet he will never steal again," said Ellen Brown, who stopped
in the parking lot of the taxidermy shop. "I bet my 13-year-old will
watch that on the TV, and she will probably learn her lesson, now that
I've got the bright idea to do it, too."
"Just
driving down the road, and seeing that -- I think that it's kind of
funny, as a kid," said Aden Long. "I wouldn't like to be out there like
that."
"In
today's society, there are too many children that are not being held
accountable for their own actions. I think this is very creative
parenting," said Andrea Long, who also stopped at the shop.
Hunter Bearden did return the money and his sister, Chenoa Davis, accepted an apology.
"I don't think he'll be doing it again," said Davis.
Copyright 2012 WIS. All rights reserved. 
Hunter Bearden holds sign along busy road. (Source: WYFF)
