Skip Navigation

10-year-old walks alone a mile away from Georgia home, leading to his mother's arrest

www.nbcnews.com 10-year-old walks alone a mile away from Georgia home, leading to his mother's arrest

Brittany Patterson, 41, said she was shocked that her son's stroll could lead to a criminal charge.

10-year-old walks alone a mile away from Georgia home, leading to his mother's arrest

Summary

Brittany Patterson, 41, was shocked to face a criminal charge for alleged reckless conduct when her unsupervised 10-year-old son walked less than a mile from their home.

Although authorities offered to drop the charge if she agreed to always supervise her children, Patterson refuses to sign, insisting she did nothing wrong and will fight the charge, which could lead to up to a year in jail.

Her lawyer argues that parents should have discretion over their children’s whereabouts, questioning if constant GPS tracking is now expected. Patterson was released on $500 bail.

69

You're viewing a single thread.

69 comments
  • Yikes.

    In 1997; I was walking about 2 miles to and from school. Unsupervised. I had a house key on my neck and was a latchkey kid in third grade. I obediently walked to and from school directly from home; meeting the crossing guard a half mile from school twice a day; as I had to cross a major 4 lane divided highway.

You've viewed 69 comments.