Toys 'R' Us, possibly the most annoying place on the planet, has given many parents one more reason not to roam their aisles, shaking their heads at the prices of poorly designed, overpriced crap (woo hoo!).
They've come under fire for denying a Chinese-American infant the $25,000 prize in their "First Baby Born in the New Year" contest. Toys 'R' Us said they will not award the savings bond to Yuki Lin, born at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve in downtown NYC, because they claim the girl's mother is not a legal U.S. resident. Officially, the immigration status of little Yuki's parents is unclear.
Some Chinese-American advocates say the renegging reeks of second-class treatment. "People are pretty much outraged," said Asian American Business Development Center John Wang.
But Janet Keller, grandmother of the baby who was awarded the prize after Yuki had been disqualified, sees no problem. "She was disqualified - that should be it," she said.
A spokeswoman for Toys' R' Us said that although promotional materials welcomed "all expectant mothers" to enter the contest, eligibility rules call for the mothers of the babies to be legal U.S. residents. A email campaign, led by attorney Albert Want, has been launched in support little Yuki, born an American citizen. Said Wang, "She was denied $25,000 intended to be used for her college education because of who her parents are."
