A mother in Arkansas was arrested after allegedly making her 7-year-old walk over 7 miles to school after he missed his bus because he failed to wake himself up for school on time.
On the evening of April 1, a 7-year-old was scolded for not keeping an eye on his 3-year-old brother, and he was sent to bed without dinner. Before he went to sleep, his mother told him he was responsible for getting up for school the following morning without her help.
As the child dressed for the day, he realized he missed his bus, but his residence in Jonesboro was approximately 7.5 miles away from his elementary school. He decided his best option was to walk, and the boy started his lengthy trek towards the campus.
Just after 7:30 AM, a man at a farm store saw the child walking when he was tending to his horse. The boy talked to him and told him he was heading to school, which was still about 7 miles away. The authorities were notified, and deputies from the Craighead County Sheriff’s Office went to the store to talk to the youngster.
The child told the deputies why he was going to school on foot, and they gave him a ride back to his home. When they talked to the mother, who also has a 2-year-old and a 3-year-old, she allegedly said that “it was not her problem” that her son missed the bus.
The Arkansas Department of Human Services was notified about the situation, and the authorities waited with the children until they came to the residence to further investigate.
The woman was taken into custody and booked into the Craighead County Detention Center. She is facing preliminary charges of one count of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child and one count of second-degree domestic battery. She was released the following day after posting a $500,000 bond.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a domestic violence offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.