CT Police: Woman Groped Santa during Mall Photo Op

December 19, 2007 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - When Danbury, Connecticut police officers arrived at the Danbury Fair Mall last weekend, they received startling news: a woman shopper had groped Santa Claus.

The as-yet unidentified Santa told police the woman had touched him inappropriately while sitting on his lap to get her picture taken, according to a Danbury News-Times news report.“I don’t know what the deal was. It was just bizarre,” the mall Santa told the newspaper.

When the hubbub was over, Sandrama Lamy, 33, was charged with fourth-degree sexual assault and breach of peace, the news report said.Officers said they were able to find the suspect quicklybecause she was described as being on crutches.

In a separate interview with the News-Times, Lamy denied wrongdoing. She said she was window shopping at the mall with a friend when she decided to get a picture with the man playing Santa Claus. “I did not sit on his lap. A woman there said ‘Be careful, that’s my husband.’ I said ‘What does that have to do with the picture?'” Lamy told the newspaper. “That’s all I said, and I left.”

Lamy declared: “I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t know if he was confused, it was a false report.”

Lamy said she worked as a sales associate in a retail store at the mall for nine years, but is currently out of work due to an injury. “Why would I do this? There were so many people there. If he (Santa) needed a few extra bucks I would have given it to him,” Lamy told the newspaper. “I’ve never been involved in a crime or anything. This is shocking to me.”

The groping adds to the list of work dangers for Saint Nicks who routinely have their beards pulled and get wet on. (See Being Wet On and Other Hazards of Being Santa ).

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