RESTAURANT OWNER TRIES TO KISS TWO YEAR OLD ON LIPS AT CHILD'S BIRTHDAY PARTY

Daily Mail

 

Midwest mom outraged after restaurant owner kissed her toddler at her birthday party before blowing out CANDLE on youngster's ice cream cup

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By VICTOR HELLER, US REPORTER

Published: 12:29 EDT, 3 September 2026 | Updated: 12:37 EDT, 3 September 2026

 

A Kansas mom was outraged after a man kissed her two-year-old daughter when the family was celebrating the toddler's birthday last week.

 

Cassie Berrios, 23, shared a disturbing video of her daughter's second birthday party during which the restaurant's 'equity holder,' John Arnold, suddenly came over and kissed the toddler on the cheek before blowing out her birthday candle.

 

Berrios wrote on Facebook that Arnold 'approached my TODDLER enjoying her moment by putting his arm around her, called her beautiful and attempted to give her a kiss on her innocent lips, something I myself as her mother do not even do.'

 

'Luckily in that moment my daughter moved her head in the opposite direction causing him to kiss her on her right cheek but still very near her lips,' she added.

 

One of the girl's concerned relatives quickly wiped off the child's cheek after she was kissed before the mother allegedly confronted the man, telling him to stop kissing other people's children.

 

According to Berrios, Arnold 'responded by clearly ignoring what I just said and attempted to touch her again but failed as I was guarding her, in response he told me to “go f*** myself."' 

 

Following the verbal conflict, Arnold left the bar with another woman who witnessed the whole encounter but allegedly did not interfere.

 

The mother accused the man of being drunk but said workers told her that he didn’t have too much to drink while at the bar.

 

'The staff of the restaurant did not seemed [sic] surprised by this man's gross actions and were very quick to inform us that he was the Owner of Stearman Restaurant,' the mother wrote.

 

The man is believed to be the chief operating officer of A&M Management Group, which runs several restaurants in the surrounding Wichita area like the Stearman Airfield, Deano's Grill & Tapworks, Oak & Pie, Deano's on Pier 37 and Morgan's Steakhouse.

 

A Facebook page for the businesses posted that 'an incident occurred on Friday, August 28th at Stearman Bar & Grill that involved an unpleasant interaction between one of our equity holders and a guest.'

 

'The safety and satisfaction of our customers is our highest priority. We are taking steps to ensure that this type of conduct does not happen again,' it went on.

 

'Our team strives to be a part of the community that provides good food & service at reasonable pricing every day. Please be assured that the actions of one individual are not a reflection of the goodwill and hospitality of our other 400 incredible employees.'

 

The Daily Mail has reached out to Berrios's family and Arnold for comment.