• Celebrity
    • Of The Essence
    • Celebrity News
    • If Not For My Girls
    • The State Of R&B
    • Time Of Essence
  • Fashion
    • 2023 Best In Black Fashion Awards
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • Red Carpet
    • Fashion News
    • Accessories
  • Beauty
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
    • 2023 Best In Black Beauty
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Hair
  • Lifestyle
    • Love
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
    • Bridal Bliss
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
  • Entrepreneurship
    • Money & Career
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Shopping
  • Video
  • Events
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 Wellness House
    • 2023 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2023 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
  • Studios
  • Girls United

WHERE BLACK CULTURE, COMMUNITY AND CONSCIOUSNESS MEET

Sign up for ESSENCE Newsletters the keep the Black women at the forefront of conversation.

Your email is required.
Your email is in invalid format.
Confirm email is required.
Email did not match.
Select the newsletters you'd like to receive:
Please select at least one option.
By clicking Subscribe Now, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Skip to content
SUBSCRIBE
  • MAGAZINE
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Celebrity
    • Of The Essence
    • Celebrity News
    • If Not For My Girls
    • The State Of R&B
    • Time Of Essence
  • Fashion
    • 2023 Best In Black Fashion Awards
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • Red Carpet
    • Fashion News
    • Accessories
  • Beauty
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
    • 2023 Best In Black Beauty
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Hair
      • Hair News
      • Natural
      • Relaxed
      • Transitioning
      • Weave
      • 4C
  • Lifestyle
    • Love
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
    • Bridal Bliss
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
  • Entrepreneurship
    • Money & Career
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Shopping
  • Video
  • Events
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 Wellness House
    • 2023 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2023 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Home · News

Black Mothers On Playdate In D.C. Confronted By Gun Pointing Secret Service Members

The women say they were scared their fun day out could have turned either one of them into "another Breonna Taylor."
Black Mothers On Playdate Confronted By Gun Pointing Secret Service Members
By Tanya A. Christian · Updated December 6, 2020

Two D.C. moms are left with several questions after a playdate with their children turned into a traumatic ordeal. According to the Washington Post, the longtime best friends were taking their infants to play in the fountains at the World War II Memorial on the National Mall when a Secret Service cruiser purposely crashed into their vehicle.

Mere moments after the collision, a uniformed Secret Service officer pointed a rifle at the foursome and commanded the women to get out of their vehicle and put their hands in the air. He was quickly joined by more officers who also surrounded the car with their guns drawn. In the hour following, India Johnson, 26 and Yasmeen Winston, 25 were handcuffed and separated from their small children. The women say authorities were not wearing protective gear to help stop the transmission of COVID-19.

Black Mothers On Playdate Confronted By Gun Pointing Secret Service Members
A man visits the National World War II Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, DC, May 8, 2020, on the 75th anniversary of the Allied victory in Europe. – President Donald Trump evoked the coronavirus crisis ahead of a wreath-laying ceremony May 8, 2020 at the World War II memorial in Washington to mark the 75th anniversary of the Allied victory in Europe. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

Johnson and Winston, represented by an attorney, are demanding that the traumatic incident be investigated and the details of the encounter released to the public. When WaPo spoke to the women, one of the mothers said an officer initially told them that their car had been reported stolen. The suspects were two Black men. Johnson, the owner of the car confirmed that her vehicle was never reported stolen.

While the women were being detained and questioned by authorities for roughly 45 minutes, their infants, six months and 13 months were left in the back of a hot car wailing. Winston asked to breastfeed her son during that time but says she was ignored. An officer eventually called an ambulance to check on the children.

Article continues after video.

The officers, who never read the women their Miranda rights according to the query sent from the women’s attorney to the Secret Service, eventually let the two mothers go. The women were never given an apology nor did they receive any answers to their questions about the details of their detainment. Prior to departing, the women did get the name and badge numbers of each officer involved.

Timothy Maloney, the attorney for Winston and Johnson, says the Secret Service has acknowledged that they received the letter sent on behalf of the women that demands answers and an investigation. The agency told WaPo they are “looking into the matter.”   

TOPICS:  Black mothers essence essence live essencelive Racism Secret Service
COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now