Southern California father mistaken for homeless man while walking baby has cops called on him
A Huntington Beach father who was walking with his baby said he was stunned after a neighbor had mistaken him for a homeless man and called the police.
Chapman Hamborg, 32, is a young father of four children and an artist who manages his own studio in the city.
He was taking his usual morning walk with his newborn daughter in a baby sling when police officers suddenly pulled up and approached him.
They received a call from a neighbor who claimed Hamborg was a homeless man with a stolen baby.
The woman reportedly got into her car and followed him to his home. When police asked Hamborg to provide identification that he indeed lived at the home, that's when he began recording the interaction.
The video was shared on his Instagram page and has since been viewed over 50 million times.
In the video, Hamborg is heard telling his wife what was happening and she responded in amused disbelief.
At the time, Hamborg was dressed casually in sweatpants and a fleece jacket. He had a beard and his long hair was tied back into a bun.
He tells police that he's surprised his neighbors haven't already seen him as he walks around the neighborhood several times a day. The officer tells Hamborg the woman who reported him lives one street over from his house.
Hamborg said he's not upset about the misunderstanding and acknowledges that, being a tired parent to a newborn may have left him looking a little scruffier than usual.
'I am a little disheveled,' he said with a laugh. 'I hadn't gotten ready for the day yet. I had my hair up in my messy bed head. My pants were a little baggy and there was a hole in my slipper.'
Despite looking a bit unkempt, Hamborg said he's still quite stunned over the incident.
'I was really shocked and felt embarrassed by it all,' he said.
After Hamborg's social media post about the incident went viral, he said it inspired him to think more about the issues and stigma surrounding homelessness.
'These stereotypes of what homeless people may look like can actually be harmful,' he said.
So, Hamburg decided to take action and make the most of his newfound attention.
He's selling limited edition prints of his painting, 'Unseen Paths,' and donating 20 percent of the proceeds to Orange County United Way's homeless outreach.
'This has been an incredible opportunity to engage with the public and help to debunk some of the myths and misinformation that people have about homelessness,' explained Becks Heyhoe-Khalil, executive director of Orange County United Way's United to End Homelessness initiative.
Hamborg said the incident puts a spotlight on the hardships that parents and individuals who are actually homeless experience daily while being targeted or discriminated against.
He said he's thankful to turn his situation into a positive one and not just raise money, but also raise awareness for an important issue that affects many communities.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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