Twin boys have been seen selling lemonade for long hours several times a week, often in cold weather, on street corners throughout Pittsburgh and the suburbs for months.
Hundreds of people have posted concerns on the social media platform Reddit, saying the twins are being exploited and demanding action. The police have been called, and complaints have been filed with the Office of Children, Youth and Families. KDKA Lead Investigator Andy Sheehan looked into the concerns about the so-called lemonade twins.
Lemonade twins in Pittsburgh
The boys sell lemonade day after day, hour after hour, around the Pittsburgh area. While they appear to be working alone, KDKA Investigates observed a woman, believed to be their mother Sahira Mohammad, sitting within eyesight in a car nearby. Customers say the twins ask for $20 a cup but accept as little as $2 or $3.
It’s not clear where the money goes or whether it’s a business or a charity. They have an Instagram page that says they serve lemonade for peace. Mohammad told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette this summer that the lemonade sales “instill a sense of confidence, independence and discipline in her boys, as well as the value of entrepreneurship.”
Community raises concerns
However, many of the hundreds of people posting their concerns on Reddit say they believe the twins are being exploited, documenting multiple times they’ve been out in sub-freezing temperatures and during school hours. They say they’ve called the police, ChildLine and have asked CYF to intercede…