Medford Man Charged With Stealing Baby Formula From Somerville Target

Hypothetically, if a man steals formula to feed his starving baby, should that be considered a crime?

Regardless, police say Taurean Pearson of 126 Monument St., Medford, was arrested on the evening of Saturday, Feb. 21., on charges of shoplifting more than $250 worth of Enfamil infant formula from the Target at 180 Somerville Ave., Somerville.

Like other over-the-counter baby formula products, Enfamil is sometimes added to cocaine and heroin in order to dilute their potency. However, Pearson has not been charged with drug possession. The report from Somerville Police does not say if, as he claimed, he has an infant.

At 6:31 p.m., Target security workers noticed Pearson hovering by the Enfamil formula display, and observed his resemblance to a man who had previously been shown shoplifting Enfamil on store security footage, according to police. Target security approached Pearson before he left the premises, and say they found five unpaid-for Enfamil bottles on his person.

Upon Somerville Police’s arrival at Target, Pearson told them he needed the formula to feed his child, hadn’t done this sort of thing before, and intended to pay Target back for the merchandise as soon as he could. However, after Target security showed police footage of three prior instances of Pearson absconding the store with ill-gotten Enfamil, he was arrested.