Minnesota Woman Charged After Viral Video Shows Racial Slur Against Black Child

A Minnesota woman who went viral earlier this year for using a racial slur against a Black child at a Rochester playground has been charged with disorderly conduct, prosecutors confirmed.

Shiloh Hendricks, 36, faces three misdemeanor counts after she was recorded repeatedly calling the n-word at a black child during a confrontation in April 2025. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine. Her arraignment is scheduled for October 29.

The Viral Incident

The confrontation began after Hendricks accused the black boy of taking her son’s belongings. In the widely circulated video, she can be heard repeating the derogatory slur multiple times.

The criminal complaint filed by Olmsted County prosecutors states Hendricks “wrongfully and unlawfully engaged in offensive, obscene, abusive, boisterous, or noisy conduct” that would “reasonably tend to arouse alarm, anger, or resentment in others.”

The child,initially identified as five years old but later listed as eight in the complaint, has autism, according to his father, and struggles with social boundaries. At some point, prosecutors noted, the boy took an applesauce packet from a diaper bag. Civil rights advocates stressed this did not justify Hendricks’ actions.

Fundraising Controversy

Following the backlash, Hendricks launched a fundraising campaign on the Christian platform GiveSendGo, claiming her personal information had been leaked. She raised over $800,000, stating vaguely in posts that “life-changing events are at play” and framing her actions as a fight for “First Amendment” rights.

Her ability to raise such an amount sparked outrage, with many critics calling it an example of how viral notoriety can be weaponized for profit, even in cases tied to racist abuse.

“This is the first step toward justice and accountability,” said Walé Elegbede, president of the Rochester NAACP chapter, after the charges were filed. “If a child takes something, a responsible adult responds with empathy—not hate and vitriol. She had opportunities to show remorse, but chose not to.”

Civil rights advocates say the case highlights broader concerns about how racist incidents affect children, especially those with disabilities, and how communities respond when such moments are amplified online

The NAACP’s Rochester chapter quickly rallied behind the victim’s family, launching its own GoFundMe and holding a town hall demanding accountability.