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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Kelly-Ann Mills

Police shut down eight-year-old girl’s lemonade stand because she doesn't have a licence

An 8-year-old girl selling lemonade near a food festival had her operation shut down by police after they received a complaint.

Asa Baker was selling lemonade in an alley outside the business where her father works near in Ohio when officers arrived.

Annoyed they were forced to step in and follow the law, the police officers are said to have given the youngster $20 - about £16.50 - so she could pay for the permit she needed.

Alliance Police Lieutenant Don Wensel told WJW–TV in Ohio that police received a complaint from festival organisers.

Katrina Moore, Asa's mother, said: “I could definitely tell he did not want to shut her down, but, I mean, you get a call, he has to do it.

Asa Baker was selling the lemonade for $1 a glass near where her father works (Facebook)

"He definitely did the right thing, you know, in the situation he was put in."

Lt Wensel said that while police are not targeting children selling lemonade, the city states that vendors must obtain a licence before selling products to the public.

Asa's mum added: “In order to get a food vendors licence, it only lasts for five days and its $40 for five days so that’s kind of out of the picture.

She has made more since people heard she was being shut down (Facebook)

"If she wants to sell on the street, she has to get a street permit. If she sells in front of a business, we have to get a solicitors permit."

Baker’s lemonade stand was up and running again on Friday in front of local business owner Eric Strata’s location where police said they would not interfere.

Mr Strata had seen a Facebook post about Baker’s predicament and offered to help with the permit process.

“He (the officer) had to do his job, but it just felt so unjust to me because she’s 8, she’s just an innocent little girl that wants to be motivated and wants to do something with herself.

Police were called out to deal with the youngster (NBC New York)

"Why shut that down?” Strata said.

Numerous people have stopped by the lemonade stand since the initial incident and the child has raked in hundreds of dollars, WJW-TV reported.

“I understand the rules, I understand why she got shut down.

"It’s just a sad, sad situation,” her mum added.

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