Teens throw Jenga blocks at Iowa business owner and her baby

By Beau Bowman

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    WAUKEE, Iowa (KCCI) — Police are investigating an incident at Zenko Tea in Waukee, where two teenagers were caught on camera throwing Jenga blocks at the shop’s owner and her infant daughter. The incident has left the owner, Phuong Thai, shaken and questioning the motive behind the attack.

“I just wanted to make sure they didn’t come back and hurt me and [my] baby again,” Thai said. The Jenga blocks did not physically harm her or her 7-month-old daughter, Alexandra, who was strapped to her chest at the time, but the experience has left her concerned for their safety.

“I have a baby here with me all day working — my mind’s racing about her safety,” Thai added.

Thai recounted that the teenagers entered her shop with drinks from another store. Despite this, she allowed them to stay and play games. However, the situation escalated when the teenagers began playing loudly and eventually threw the game pieces at her and her baby.

“I still allowed them to play and drink someone else’s drink in my store. It turned out they play so loudly, but I didn’t say anything. But then, when I hear something drop, and they tried to throw the blocks at me and my baby,” Thai explained.

The surveillance video of the incident, posted on Zenko Tea’s Facebook page, has since garnered thousands of views. The community has rallied around Thai, with many customers visiting the shop to show their support.

Thai has filed a report with the Waukee Police Department, which is actively working to identify the teenagers involved in the incident.

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