A Georgia mom faces up to one year in jail for child endangerment-related charges after her then-10-year-old son was found walking alone approximately one mile from their home.
Authorities arrested Brittany Patterson, 41, and charged her for reckless conduct.
“Brittany Patterson was charged with reckless conduct after her son was seen walking alongside the road into town in Mineral Bluff. Her son, Soren, was approached by a woman who asked if he was fine. Soren said yes but the woman called the police anyway. Police picked up Soren and then dropped him off at home before returning hours later to arrest Patterson,” Collin Rugg wrote.
“Authorities offered to drop the charges if Patterson signed a form outlining a safety plan that would force her to track her children via GPS. Patterson refused. She faces a $1,000 fine and one year in jail,” he added.
WATCH:
NEW: Georgia mom is facing up to 1 year in jail for allowing her 11-year-old son to walk less than a mile into town by himself.
Brittany Patterson was charged with reckless conduct after her son was seen walking alongside the road into town in Mineral Bluff.
Her son, Soren, was… pic.twitter.com/GZbXBX84ns
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) November 19, 2024
ABC News reports:
Brittany Patterson, 41, was arrested by deputies on Oct. 30 after a witness reported “a juvenile in the roadway” who had gone into and left a nearby Dollar General store, according to a Fannin County Sheriff’s Office report.
ADVERTISEMENTPatterson’s son, Soren, now 11, was later found by deputies around one mile from the family’s home. Patterson had left Soren to take another one of her children to a doctor’s appointment and didn’t report him missing, according to the report.
In the state, neglect by a parent can be defined as a “failure to provide a child with adequate supervision necessary for such child’s well-being,” according to a guideline.
Patterson told ABC News’ Andrea Fujii in an interview Friday that she had been annoyed Soren didn’t tell her where he was going, but didn’t think he was in any danger.
Mother fighting child endangerment charges after son walks alone less than mile from home https://t.co/xHsz3msWjT pic.twitter.com/obH2b2g4f5
— New York Post (@nypost) November 16, 2024
Surge in support for Georgia mother arrested after letting her 11-year-old son walk to town alone https://t.co/cNyjaFKZip pic.twitter.com/muSue5nICf
— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) November 18, 2024
From the New York Post:
Patterson was booked on suspicion of reckless conduct and posted a $500 bond, according to the report.
The mom said she was angered and frustrated that her children had to witness her being handcuffed and booked by police.
Patterson has rejected an offer to drop the charges, arguing they are entirely unwarranted.
The Sheriff’s Office has offered to drop charges if Patterson signs a form that outlines a safety plan for her kids, she and her lawyer say, according to NBC.
ADVERTISEMENT“This is not right. I did nothing wrong,” she said. “I’m going to fight for that.”
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