Henry County

Parents pay hundreds for cheerleading outfits they still haven't received

HENRY COUNTY, Ga. — Parents tell Channel 2 Action News they are fuming after they paid hundreds of dollars months ago for cheerleading outfits for their daughters and still have nothing to show for it.

Henry County mother Vanessa Stephens said she’s at her wit’s end after paying nearly $300 in July for a cheerleading uniform for her 5-year-old, which she never received.

"I feel like we have not been told the truth," Stephens told Channel 2's Nefertiti Jaquez.

She’s not alone. Jaquez spoke to a dozen upset mothers after they called asking Jaquez to find out what was going on.

“We were promised them by the first game on Sept. 8,” Stephens said.

The parents said they started contacting Pop Warner board members, who run the Henry County Mustangs Youth Football and Cheer Organization.

Stephens said no one would give them a straight answer:

“The sense of embarrassment when she goes out there and sees other girl with a uniform -- I’m not OK with that. I don’t want her to deal with that,” Stephens said.

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Jaquez contacted Pop Warner and their executive director released a statement, saying:

“Local Pop Warner Associations purchase all of their own uniforms and equipment.  They are responsible for making the orders and paying for the goods.”

Jaquez called the president of the Henry County Mustangs Monday night. While Jarvis McLeod wouldn’t go on camera, he gave Jaquez the receipts showing the uniforms were paid for Aug. 17, before they paid for uniforms for the youth football team Aug. 28.

The football team finally got their uniforms last week, but they had “Henry County” spelled “Hanry County” on them. Concept drawings show they look nothing like what they paid for.

The girl’s cheerleading outfits also never arrived, and they have a competition Sunday.

In a text from McLoud, it shows him begging the owner for 4 King Sports – who the board hired to make the uniforms -- for answers, before asking if she’s stolen the money.

Jaquez tried contacting the owner of 4 King Sports, but she never heard back from her.

Jaquez did some digging and learned that while they are registered through the state, they're not licensed to run the business.

Not only did state officials say that’s illegal, but when Jaquez told them the Jonesboro address they’re using is a UPS store, they said they “tricked the system” because they wouldn’t allow them to register with a P.O. box address.

When Jaquez went by the owner’s Stockbridge home, she wasn’t there, but the garage door was open, and inside Jaquez saw stacks of boxes of uniforms.