Mom grew uneasy after spotting the same woman near her son throughout their Target trip — security's revelation deepened her concerns
Shopping with a child should be a routine outing, but one mother found herself growing increasingly uneasy after noticing a stranger following them around the store. Instagram creator Katie Santry, who posts as @katiesantry, shared an incident on November 12, 2026, of how a woman appeared to follow her and her son through Target for over an hour. When she finally reported her concerns to security, their response made the situation even more unsettling and made Katie thank her instincts.
Katie first noticed the woman in the women's clothing section, standing nearby without a cart or any items. As Katie and her son moved through the store, the woman kept following them for over an hour, making Katie increasingly uneasy. Things became even more unsettling when Katie and her son went to the restroom and, after they came out of their stall, she saw the same woman leaving another stall. Katie finally went to customer service and asked if the woman was undercover security. Staff confirmed she wasn't, and one security employee said he'd noticed her too, including her tactical-style pants and knives attached to her belt. Security promised to review the footage and escorted Katie and her son to their car. But as they stepped outside, Katie heard an engine roar and spotted a windowless white van speeding out of the parking lot, and Katie said she was thankful for trusting her gut.
Katie said the experience reminded her how important it is to trust your instincts, even when you start questioning whether you're overreacting. She also pointed out that people shouldn't automatically assume someone is harmless because they're a woman, older, or even accompanied by a child. As she put it, you never really know who might pose a threat. Other Instagram users were relieved that Katie and her son were safe. @mcblair927 commented, "Wild. So happy you’re both safe!" Meanwhile, @whereyourheartisnow wrote, "This is terrifying. I swear I’m always on alert in public when Justin isn’t with me, and this is why." Another user, @xo_sammyjo, added, "Terrifying!! Good for you for trusting your instincts!"
Looking back, Katie said the experience changed how she thinks about trusting her instincts. What made it especially unsettling was that she hadn't expected a woman to pose a threat, which is why she initially questioned her own suspicions. But after security confirmed they had noticed the stranger too, she felt reassured that speaking up had been the right call.
Katie's experience also shows how people sometimes make assumptions about who can be a threat. A 2026 study published in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence examined how people's views of stalking changed depending on the gender of the person involved. Researchers found that gender stereotypes sometimes led people to downplay or minimize stalking behavior, particularly when the perpetrator was a woman. This shows why it's important to pay attention to someone's behavior rather than assume they're harmless based on their gender, age, or appearance.
Follow @katiesantry on Instagram for more of her content.