A Georgia mom was arrested after her 10-year-old son took a solo walk to a store about a mile from home in rural Georgia. The mom, Brittany Patterson, vows to fight the charges of reckless conduct. The arrest came after a bystander saw her son alone and reported it to authorities. Patterson left her son home while taking another child to a medical appointment, assuming he didn’t want to go. The police alleged that she failed to report her son missing to authorities before leaving the home.
Georgia law does not specify an age for children to be allowed to go out alone or stay home, but the child welfare agency suggests guidelines. The sheriff’s office claimed Patterson did not know where her son was and failed to report him missing. Patterson argues that there is a difference between not knowing his exact location at all times and him being missing. After her arrest, DCFS presented a “Safety Plan,” which she refused to sign.
Experts emphasize that parents have the right to decide how to parent their kids, and authorities should only intervene if there is a risk to the child’s safety or well-being. Most cases where children are left unsupervised are rare, and parents usually have the freedom to allow kids a degree of independence when they are mature enough. People of color may be more likely to face charges or DFCS involvement, but parents are urged to make decisions based on what is best for their children.
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