Mother arrested after 10-year-old son walks into town alone

A Georgia mother was arrested after her 10-year-old son was found walking to town alone. Brittany Patterson is facing a misdemeanor charge of reckless conduct.

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[EarthBeing]

My Mother would be serving a life sentence for the freedom I had as a child. Wow, how times have changed.

[sherrysparks]

Does this mean the parents whose children walk to school, will be arrested?

[alwaysyouramanda]

Ah yes. A year without his mother will fix the danger.

[GenX-er]

At 9 years old, I walked 2 miles a day 365 days a year, alone at 5:00 a.m., delivering newspapers. This is absolutely stupid and insane.

[LucyMorningstar]

Glad she's suing them. Talk about overreach. Why don't they police the kids whose parents are truly abusing them and are truly neglectful????

[stephanieinglett]

I do not understand why this mother was arrested. I do not see where a crime was commited. This is insane.

[evilqueenyiayia]

Meanwhile children are dying after numerous calls to Child Services. Makes no sense. 😐

[josteinholen]

Meanwhile in Europe, six year olds are walking, biking and taking public transport to school, in major cities.

[techraan]

If this was the law in the 80s, all of our parents would have gone to jail. Literally all of them.

[barneyfife]

You mean the boy wasn’t “chained” to the couch, with an iPad?
GOOD MOTHER.

[lettus]

this boy has just learned the nature of law enforcement and will likely never trust police again. what a crazy time to be alive.

[ac_astro]

I was a 10 year old paper boy. I played arcade games, bought candy and stuff with my paper route money at stores all over town. No problem. Is this why many young people have trouble making it in the real world nowadays?

[jarod]

When i was a kid in the early 80s, we were gone all day til the streetlights came on. Then it was time to head home. No cellphones.

[imadequate]

Do not take a plea. Leave this up to a jury of the locals in your town that know this is complete BS.

[glenistergrotj]

He’s 10, not 5. He’s old enough to go out on his own adventures. When I was 10, I was riding my bike to the corner store on a regular basis.

[leslieleslie]

I can't believe this woman was arrested for this. There are actually people abusing their children!

[kikimab]

The poor kid is going to be traumatized because he got his mom arrested, not because he went out for a walk on his own….

[Anurania]

10 is plenty old enough to be outdoors alone during the day, especially in a quiet rural area.

[karenmornes]

Disgusting...when I was a kid (8 yrs old) I rode my bike and walked everywhere as a kid..as long as I was home by dinnertime..and this was in a suburb of Detroit Mich..

[mattjones]

When i was 10 I rode my bike all over the neighborhood; mom had no idea where I was. Was she "neglecting" me? Yes, properly so. I'm now an independent, productive adult.