Costco security was asked to check on an 'unattended baby' — then they realized what it really was

When Costco security was informed about an 'unattended baby' in their store, they rushed to investigate—only to be stunned by what they discovered. What seemed like a case of neglect turned out to be instead a sweet act by a kid. As the security personnel approached a Texas mother, Chantel, thinking she had left her baby daughter unattended, they realized that it was instead just a doll in the cart.

Chantel's daughter, Ivy, had brought to the store her lifelike reborn doll—an eerie toy designed to look just like a real baby, as reported by Newsweek. The confusion took place when Ivy and her mom were using the restroom, leaving the shopping cart and the doll outside. Costco security noticed what they thought was a real baby and quickly alerted staff. Nicolette, a worker at the store, was sent to check. When she arrived at the scene, she burst out laughing. A clip of the same was shared on TikTok by Chantel, who goes by the username @chantelshares.

Netizens were just as surprised as Chantel and took to the comments section to share similar experiences. On TikTok, a person (@raquel.nieto12) shared, “Happened to us with my daughter's reborn doll. Never again did I let her take her into the stores. One time she had it by the leg and we got yelled at across the store.” Another person, @drpeppermd, recalled, “When I was a kid, I was pushing a babydoll in a real stroller, and it tipped, and the baby fell out, and one of the neighbors saw and was so concerned.”

As the comments poured in, another netizen (@blueeyedbowler300) recalled, “My mom told me a story when I was little and had a realistic-looking doll. We came out of the bathroom, and my mom was holding it by its foot, and a lady screamed.” In a similar vein, @repenteverything commented, “This definitely unlocked a memory here. I actually had a doll that looked so real, the doctors in the hospital said you can’t take that baby in there. My parents had to prove it was a doll.” Others pointed out how Ivy will forever remember the incident.

Real newborns aren't just for show. Research has shown that they can be therapeutic, particularly for people with dementia. They can also provide comfort to those who are struggling with infertility or the devastating loss of a child, as reported by USA Today. To make a reborn doll, a sculptor first shapes the doll's body with clay. Then, to make it feel like a real infant, the limbs are attached, and the body of the doll is filled with weighted beads. Thereafter, they are carefully painted by artists, who add fine details to give them a lifelike appearance.