Cellphone Scandal
Restaurant employee arrested after cellphone discovered in women's bathroom
A Sunday night dinner took a bizarre turn at popular restaurant Mockingbird Bistro when a patron made an unexpected discovery.
According to a report on ABC13, a patron at Mockingbird Bistro discovered a cellphone recording her while she used the restroom. She immediately removed the phone from its hiding place in the ceiling tiles and called police.
Mockingbird's management immediately terminated the employee, Gerardo Andrade. Police arrested Andrade and charged him with one count of "improper photography/visual recording." Still unanswered is how long these recordings had been taking place, since the phone was found in an upstairs bathroom that's infrequently used by patrons.
Mockingbird chef/owner John Sheely provided the following statement to CultureMap about the incident:
I am both absolutely shocked and sorely dismayed to learn that one of our employees at Mockingbird was involved in this incident. We offer our deepest apologies to the guest directly affected.
The managers dealt with the situation as soon as it was brought to their attention. The police were notified and the suspected employee in question was immediately terminated and arrested. The event occurred in a secondary upstairs space, infrequently used by guests.
While the police authorities investigate this for possible charges, we are cooperating in every way. That includes conducting our own internal investigation.
The entire Mockingbird family is deeply saddened and affected by this event. The trust that our diners have placed in us over the years is extremely important and we will continue to strive to maintain that trust in light of what transpired."
Harris County court records show that Andrade remains in jail pending a $52,000 bond.