A Georgia mom arrested after her 10-year-old son took a solo walk to a store about a mile from home in rural Georgia has vowed to fight the charges in a case that has prompted confusion and criticism from experts and parental rights activists.
Body camera footage from Fannin County Sheriff’s Office shows Brittany Patterson, then 41, being confronted and arrested at home on Oct. 30 by deputies hours after a bystander reported seeing her son in public alone.
Deputies returned the boy, who was unharmed, home. Then, they came back several hours later to arrest Patterson.
“Last time I checked it wasn’t illegal for a kid to walk to the store,” Patterson said in the footage.
“It is when they’re 10 years old,” replied Deputy Kaylee Robertson said. (Patterson’s arrest warrant and a report written by Robertson say that the root of the charge was that Patterson didn’t know where her son was and failed to report him as missing to authorities before leaving the home.)
