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SOHO, Manhattan (WABC) -- A family is calling for the Manhattan district attorney to bring charges against a white woman who wrongly accused a Black teenager of stealing her phone.
The incident, which was recorded on cellphone video, happened in the lobby of the Arlo Hotel on Saturday, where the teen and his father were staying as guests.
The woman's cellphone was later found in an Uber.
The video has since gone viral and has prompted accusations of racial profiling toward 14-year-old Keyon Harrold Jr. and his family.
New York City police did not identify the woman, saying only that there was a harassment complaint on file for an incident Saturday inside the hotel. A spokesperson for Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance said the office is "thoroughly investigating this incident" but did not elaborate.
Hotel management said in a posting Sunday they reached out to Harrold and his son to apologize.
"We're deeply disheartened about the recent incident of baseless accusation, prejudice, and assault against an innocent guest of Arlo Hotel," they said in a Facebook post.
Video: Woman falsely accuses Black teen of stealing phone in New York City hotel lobby
The video has since gone viral and has prompted accusations of racial profiling and injustice toward the 14-year-old Black teen.
abc7ny.com