CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- One woman has died and another is presumed dead after the pair of shoplifting suspects ran away from a loss prevention officer at Burlington Coat Factory on Friday.
The incident happened at 2516 Sardis Road North at about 2:45 p.m.
According to authorities, three suspected female shoplifters at the store were being chased, and two of them - including 43-year-old Gracie Johnson - left the store and ran away while the third woman hid in the store.
A loss prevention officer chased after the two women and all three of them went into McAlpine Creek, which was rushing with water after Friday’s heavy rainfall.
"All three went into the water," said Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Rodney Monroe. "The loss prevention officer managed to come out of the water. We do believe the two females remained in the water."
One body was recovered because the female was wearing an electronic bracelet monitor. The deceased woman has been identified as 43-year-old Gracie Nell Johnson.
The second female is presumed to be dead but her body has not yet been recovered. The officer made it out of the stream, while the other two women floated away.
Friday evening, NewsChannel 36 spoke with Stephen Johnson, Gracie Johnson's husband. He said that the missing woman is his 16-year-old daughter, Rihanna Johnson.
“They couldn’t find my daughter. [Police] didn’t tell me where she was at and what are the circumstances,” he said.
Charlotte Fire Department officials said they had to call off the search around 9 p.m. Friday night because of dangerous conditions. The search for that missing woman will continue Saturday morning.
