Mindy Hills was a journalist working for the Weatherfield Gazette who called round to 5 Coronation Street just days after Joseph Brown went missing overnight having run away after being bullied at school for showing obvious signs of living in a poverty-stricken household.
Although he came back home safely, seemingly found by local market trader chancer Clint Stubbins who saw an opportunity to cash in on the extremely large reward money that had been offered, Chesney Brown and Gemma Winter still had the same basic problem to attend to that they were struggling to bring up Joseph and his toddler quad half-siblings from jobs that paid near the minimum wage. When Mindy called to try and get a story on their experiences, Chesney was reluctant to let them in but Gemma's mother, Bernie saw an opportunity to make some money from selling their story and suggested that Chesney allow her in for a cup of tea.
Mindy asked sympathetic questions, but Chesney was guarded about the bullying, saying he wouldn't want his son's problems exposed in the press. Mindy understood and heard from Bernie that Clint was calling later in the day to collect his reward from Dev Alahan, the organiser of the fund. Mindy sensed there was something romantic in the air between Bernie and Dev and got a bashful admission from her that two were partners. Bernie was then more direct with the journalist and asked her just how much they would be paid for the story, showing her Joseph's ragged school jumper and explaining how short of funds they were. Mindy had to explain to the disappointed woman that they only paid for features and not stories.
Using her own camera, Mindy later took photographs of Clint and asked him how he was going to be spending the reward money. He fed her a totally fictitious line that he had some charities close to his heart that he was considering. Mindy also wanted to include Dev in a photo as the reward organiser and suggested his partner Bernie stand next to him. Embarrassment then ensued when Dev blurted out that they didn't have that relationship at all. Humiliated, Bernie stalked off.
Mindy's story appeared in the paper's online edition later that day and even Chesney had to admit that he approved of the way that it had been written up.