A Detroit mother is trying to figure out how a note that said “help me” and was hidden in her daughter’s underwear ended up there in the first place.
Nicole Perez accidentally discovered the message after buying her daughter some clothes with Disney themes for kids.
The note was received by a New York company that distributes clothing made in the Philippines, and as a result, an investigation into it is currently being done.
Tinkerbell-themed underwear was purchased at a mom-to-mom sale that was held over the previous weekend.
When she opened the package, she was unprepared for the note that was inside because she thought she was just receiving a great deal.
A piece of cardboard with the words “Help me!” scribbled on it was taped there.
The name “MayAnn,” which belonged to a woman, was scribbled on the back of the piece of paper. The words “Location: Philippines” were also followed by a phone number.
The underwear is created in the Philippines and then shipped to New York, where Handcraft Manufacturing Corporation prepares them.
“I was trembling in terror.” Ms. Perez reportedly said that she “just felt like everything just fell to my stomach.”
She emailed the company, who promptly replied with an apology and an offer to send her a new pair of underwear.
Ms. Perez was left with a sense of unease and fear, but her main concern was for the woman who had written the note.
When sewing together this underwear, someone is obviously asking for help, so you wonder if this is forced labor or if they are simply working long hours.
You think about your own children and hope that this isn’t the case.
No one answered the phone when she decided to call the number.
The Philippine American Cultural Center of Michigan claims that the phone number might belong to a pre-paid smartphone, which is notoriously difficult to trace.
Additionally, they claimed that labor laws were in place in the Philippines to protect the staff members of textile businesses.
The note appears to have been written by a factory worker, according to Irwin Mizrahi, president of Handcraft Manufacturing, the firm that makes the children’s clothing.
He has claimed that the company will look into both the source of the memo and the accuracy of the abuse allegations.
