I had to run in the house and she said, "How are you?" To her mother. Okay, no problem. I have my son, please guys. Is she going to be able to pick up my son? I don't know. From the time when I left, I don't know. Yes. These children [music] are growing up each day in an environment where adults are still learning how to manage their emotions and reactions. Besides that, is there a reason why there's inside your kids back there? I want to out the car house. None of them realized that from one small decision, the legal, emotional, and ethical consequences could reach much further than anyone expected. I don't know who you think you are. I have never I have not dealt with somebody that is that is like acting this way in a a lot of years, ma'am. This isn't a story about right or wrong, but about a child On August 26, 2025, officers conducted a traffic stop related to improper use of high beams. At first, it seemed like a minor traffic matter, but the situation became more complicated when the woman could not present a driver's license and explained the vehicle had been borrowed and was not an authorized rental, adding visible stress in front of a child in the car. I was just taking my son from McDonald's to her house. All right. So, the reason you're driving with your bright lights on? Because I just came all the way from Miami. Your bright lights on Miami? >> it was just dark. You know, the light the roads are dark. Yeah. So, you know that you actually have to turn those off with oncoming traffic the other way. If you don't, you can actually be stopped cuz it's doing uh more damage on people's eyes. It struggles for me to see and or someone else, okay? Do you got your license uh registration and insurance on you, please? I don't uh I left my thingy at my cousin's house. I just dropped off some bags over there. >> What is a thingy? What does that mean? >> left my ID at her house. Your ID license, yeah. >> No, I just left it I'm telling you I just left it at my my cousin's right around the corner. >> That's fine. That's fine. License, yeah. >> No, I just left it I'm telling you I just left it at my my cousin's right around the corner. >> That's fine. That's fine. Okay, is the car registered? All right. Do you have any information? This is all I have for it right now. Okay. Well, that works for now. That'll get us started. I'm on my son is late. I just I'm not trying to do nothing like, you know, I just got McDonald's and my baby. You in a hurry? I just want to go. I'm just drove a couple of hours. Like I literally just came back off to get some food. I'm tired. Okay. I'm not in a hurry, sir. I'm sorry. Where are you heading to? Amelia Court. Amelia Court. Amelia Court apartments, okay. That's not too far from here. Well, we're not going anywhere fast cuz there's a train blocking you anyway, so it's going to be a second. Is this a Turo rental cuz this is not a rental company? No, this is from a friend in Miami. My friend from Miami. Do you know this person? Yes, I Okay, got you. All right. All right, what's um Do you have a Florida driver's? Have you ever had one? You have You do, okay. Okay. What Okay, got you. What's your social? >> I'm not but other than that, why can I Why am I being stopped for that? Like I I'm literally going around the corner. I just want to go home. I'm done with this. I'm just asking for my things. Why are you being stopped for lights? Okay, I'm really really trying to make this a quick process. No, no, no, no. You No, no, no. I'm going to because you you keep talking. Okay? No, no, no. I understand, but I'm really trying to end this process. Right. Okay, I understand and that's that's horrible, okay? But but just just I understand. I'm trying to make this a fast process and you want to ask me questions and dispute the law on the street here, okay? No, you really aren't. This is the third time you're you're saying this. I go, I just want to go. Okay, if you want me to just go write you a ticket and slow it down even more. If that's I'm just trying to get you done and out of here. Okay, so let me do the process. I'm going to run your information and I'm planning on just coming back a a verbal warning, hey, you turn your your bright lights off when you're driving around the city of Orlando because it blinds people. But hear me out, okay? I'm in control. I'm doing my job, okay? Trust the process and then when we're done During the interaction, officers noticed signs that the mother appeared emotionally overwhelmed. This created interruptions in communication and the encounter did not move forward as smoothly as a routine stop. Just hang out with her. She's uh a little bit temperamental. I literally came over here just so my son could so we could be with my family. That's it. I don't understand why I'm not being pulled up on like this. What is that is that weed? Where? Underneath your foot. I don't know if that's it that I might I don't know. This is a rental. On 95. I have my son in the car. Can you just give me a second? My can I have my cousin come and pick up my son? I saw it. It's It's right there at her foot. Okay, yes. I'm sorry. I didn't Look I This is a rental. I swear this is a rental. Put your phone down. My phone is dead. But I have my I have my my my son my cousin Tiana. Tiana, hurry up and come. Please hurry up and come. My baby's coming My baby's here. Do me a favor, just keep it there, okay? Can I call my family? No, you don't touch your phone. What is going on? Tiana. Here, open the door. Open the door. Ty. Come and get me, please. Come and get me. Okay, no problem. I have my son, please guys. Is she going to be able to pick up my son? Can she pick up my son? Tiana, please. Tiana, can you please make sure my baby's okay? Can you please make sure my baby's okay? Can you guys please make sure my baby's okay? >> You're just being detained. Okay, I have my son there. No, I don't want to get in the car. I don't want to get in the car with You're not getting in the car. Relax. My son there. I don't want to get in the car with my son there. Is Is that Is I'm going to jail for that? Chill, you're just being detained. I'm not I'm not trying to make it worse. I I don't want to go to jail for that nugget. I'm not I'm not That's not mine. I did it I That's a rental. How's it a rental, but you know that they could be they could have been a nugget when I asked you? When you see when I look down, what is that? What does it look like? He's saying he's pulling me over for um I don't know. But is it Can you get in Can you get arrested for a nugget of weed? I don't know that I didn't even know it was a rental. It was a rental. I don't know. You guys are asking me questions I don't know. Please I have my baby. I just came all the way from Miami. I can't believe you guys are doing this to my baby in the car. Sorry. If you want, we can switch. Excuse me, am I going to jail? We're going to come over here. Can I I'm not I'm not trying to do nothing. I got shot. Look at you hurting me and I got shot recently. And you hurting me. My hand is Okay, stop resisting. >> I got Cuz you keep tensing up, okay? I'm going to charge you with resisting if you keep tensing up on me. Walk this way. Okay, walk right here. Sir, I got shot recently. You're hurting my arm that I got shot in, okay? Look at I got shot recently. Look at my clavicle. Look, I'm not Look at I'm not lying to you. It hurts. Can you please let this loose a little bit and I got my meds in there. I need my meds. It's still up. I can't because you guys are about to arrest me. I got my nerve damage. >> would we arrest you for? Cuz they're obviously you guys are going to arrest me for that stupid ass nugget. >> Said who? >> Look at what you guys got me into. >> Okay, you're being detained. I just told you. You're not under arrest. >> I'm feeling under arrest. You're not under arrest. You're being detained, okay? Just cuz you're in handcuffs that does not mean you're under arrest, okay? I am telling you, okay? This is reporting. I am telling you that you're being detained. Why are you guys doing this to my car? Cuz you got you got weed in the car, okay? So, that's why I'm going to jail. No, that's why you're being detained, okay? That's why we are searching the vehicle. How old are you? Huh? No, I don't got pockets, sir. No. No, sir. No, no pockets. Am I going to go to jail behind a nugget? Please tell me I'm not. No, you're not. I have my baby. That's why you're not arresting me. I just have a baby. Okay, just relax. While trying to reassure her, officers observed additional signs suggesting her emotional well-being might have been affected by past hardships, highlighting how personal history can influence present reactions. Do not tense up, okay? When I hear me out, when I when an officer is pulling you out, okay? Whatever we do cuz you can catch a charge really quick just for tensing up, okay? You got to understand I got shot like I said, look. You Look at my clavicle. I got shot recently. Look. I'm not lying to you. Look at my right here. Look. Look at I'm pulling my shirt down a little bit. No, I'm not touching you. Do you see my clavicle? No, I don't. I mean >> Look at my clavicle. I see right here, yeah. >> I got shot. Look. Look at Look at my hands. Like I don't I can't open and close my hand. I'm not lying to you. You got shot there? I got shot here and in my chest and my titty right here my titty part. Recently, a couple months ago from a girl that I thought was my best friend. And I just This hurts. Can you just put it in the front? Huh? Can you just put it in the front? It really hurts. I have nerve damage. Look at my hands. They're two different sizes. Look. I'm not lying to you. Look. Look at my arm. Just keep your hands like that. Turn Cuz you can turn your hands. They're really loose, okay? This one's not loose, sir. I'm not going to run like I got my son and you guys have everything. Can you just loosen this up a little bit, please? That's all I ask. I'm not trying to be annoying. Which one? This one. The one that looks little. That's my arm I got shot in. That's my cousin cuz he always takes my son to him. Oh, chill. Who? Is that Got you. Where do you live? Miami. Yeah, where So, where were you coming up here? >> To her house. Where is that at? It's Amelia Court. When did you get shot? A couple months ago. What was it? A .22? No. Uh uh FN 9. I went to court for this. I got shot in my neck. The girl's in court right >> Yeah, no. What kind of caliber was it? >> FN 9. That's what I know. I don't know what that was. Can she at least take my phone? Cuz we live a lot for them to see. I don't want them to see this [ __ ] >> Okay. You sure? I'm going to give you your phone. Let's do Russian, then we can go over that, okay? But you're just being detained, all right? So, if we know you'll be good to go, we'll take whatever. We don't really care if there's just a little bit of All right. Okay. Okay. All right. I'm not sure of nothing. The only thing other than that is my meds from me getting shot. I got Gabapentin and Tramadol in here. That's it. That's all. Okay. I won't take the whole thing of the Gabapentin with me because it's a big bottle. Well, I literally take Look Look it up. Gabapentin. You sure? No, it's a not a controlled substance, nothing like that. Nothing crazy. And you guys live in Miami, correct? What part of Miami do you guys live at? Downtown. Downtown, then? Yeah. Is it expensive over there or what? Yeah, it's expensive. Yeah? What do you do? I dance. Okay. I didn't even know that was in there, sir. I thought I lost it. I didn't even know that was in there. You're getting mad at me. I If I would have give saved it, why would I make you go through trouble? Why would I make him go through trouble? I'm not I have no warrant or nothing on my name. Why would I make him go through What happened is that you got a license, why you ain't give it to us? I didn't even know that I didn't even know that's not even a Like I didn't even know that that was in there. Why would I make him go through trouble? I couldn't even find it just now when I went to the store to go get a phone up. What are you talking about? I couldn't even find it just now when I went to the store. Okay. Sure. I went to go get tobacco from the store and I I had to show him the one on my phone. Okay. Sure. Not a big deal. There's mad [ __ ] all in there. Okay. You just Yeah, hey, listen. When you go When Hear me out. When you When you're going from here to up here, it's going to make us go up here. >> that's why I'm asking you to come here. Those are my meds. You cannot take those away from me. >> true. He's probably looking at them. You can't take them from me. >> Okay. Sure. >> need those for my my >> Okay. Okay. >> my nerves. >> Okay. >> Does it have your name on it and everything? No, it doesn't have any more on there. I told you I left the big bottle at home. But that has my That's my meds. I can call my pharmacy like the the pharmacy and everything. Those are my I need those. Those are my neurological meds. Those are old meds. That has my name on it. That's the one. Those are old meds from me getting shot. Can you tell him I got shot, please? So he don't think that I'm a I'm a crackhead or something. Something like crazy [ __ ] I have my son with me. That's true. I got shot. Those are my meds from me being shot. Yo. Sorry. Cuz I >> You don't follow instructions very well. That's your problem. Sorry. Do you understand? How old are you? I'm 20. Yeah, how old are I'm 20. 29. Okay. Why you Now we lying to each other by age? Because I'm used I work in a club, I'm used to seeing 28. I'm not lying by age. I just I'm on my birthday June 11th. I just turned June? Gemini, huh? Yeah. That's crazy. I need to take my meds, sir. So, what are you going to do? Test the meds? No. Too. I'm just like I don't know what's going to happen because I need my meds. >> being paranoid. Why are you so paranoid? You're making us I understand. You're making everything worse. >> I'm sorry. My son is here. You got to understand. >> I understand. And if you have not done anything wrong, then just chill out. I just got my teeth done not too long ago, too. They messed up my teeth. I thought it was cuz you got shot. >> got shot and I just Yeah, I got shot in my teeth. And then I I just I got pictures, too, of my my teeth that just been done. Making my teeth was this big. She shot me in my She shot me in the chest. I told him my ex-boyfriend was with each other. No. She shot me in my chest. But everything is prescribed to me. You said you're going to court court? >> Yes. What did they charge you with? Attempted murder? Attempted murder. She had a She had a I mean she had a I got to say. And even if you guys do take me, can you guys at least give me my car so I don't I don't have to go come back with this car. What? You guys try to take this car all the way back. If you guys do take me, can you guys at least give me this car to them? Okay. Please, so I don't have to come all the way back over here to try to like punch my hand and obviously Just Just chill. No one said you're under arrest. Why Why are you assuming that we're about to arrest you? >> Because look at what you guys are doing. That's why I'm just like You guys took the You took me obviously and then you're taking my my pills. Obviously you're trying to like find something. He was on one since I got here. What's your first name? Revelina. What is it? >> Revelina. Revelina? >> Revelina, not Revelina. Revelina? Revelina what? Okay. Why you asking me that? She said apparently she got an uh '85 Sierra, so hold on. I got shot. Hey, come back over here. I got shot. Come back over here. Those are things he's going to try to find something on us for obviously. Her response at one point led an officer to feel disrespected, which added tension to the overall tone of the interaction. I don't know who you think you are. I have never I have not dealt with somebody that is that is like acting this way in a a lot of years, ma'am. You are very entitled. You think you're in control. This is a traffic stop. You keep telling me how to do things and hey, don't touch this. Don't do this. Hey, let me go. Let me go. You need to let me go. Ma'am. Ma'am. Ma'am. Ma'am. Slow down, okay? I'm I'm serious, okay? No. No. No. No. No. But the thing is you keep telling us what and how this is going to go and you're dictating everything, okay? And I understand. Listen, I'm just telling you this is the process. Let it go. Let the process be, okay? That's the process. There are things you can't control here. Just chill. Just be quiet and just let it play out. You're too >> you Spanish? >> stimulated. >> Are you Spanish? Am I Spanish? >> Uh-huh. Why? Do I look Spanish? >> you do look Spanish. No? No, my name's Spanish. That's it. That's about it. So, you don't understand Spanish at all? Mm-mm. Why? You speak Spanish? Of course. Yeah? What nationality are you? >> speak three different languages. Really? What language What language? French? Yeah, Spanish. Arabic? I'm a race my car. Yeah? What nationality are you? I'm Moroccan, Dominican, and Puerto Rican. Moroccan and Puerto Rican? I think you definitely look Moroccan and Puerto Rican. I'm from the Bronx. I'm a race my car. That's good. You said Revelina Revelina? Revelina. Revelina. You got a nickname? No. No? Just Bev. Bev? Just chill. I just want to let the You said that's your sister? That's my cousin. Cousin. Okay. And now you said you let him laugh at the baby sitting in the car like Just chill. Just chill. All right. Listen. This is like the third time I'm telling you. All right, I'm being nice to you, but you're pushing it. I'm not trying to push it. You're in the park, ma'am. Yes. Hey, I'm not I don't have nothing to like No, nothing crazy. I'm not a crazy person. No one said No. No one said I know. I'm just saying though. Like I don't want to see what's going on. I'm just trying to get to my family's house like The situation shifted when officers discovered several potentially unsafe items along with medications not stored in proper packaging, raising concerns about the child's surroundings. Hey, I'm going to just read you your rights, okay? I'm getting arrested? No, it doesn't mean you're getting arrested. You're being detained because you're being detained for me to speak to you about something. I have to read you this, okay? Just tell me verbally yes or no if you understand, all right? All right. Do you have another license out anywhere else? I used to have one in New York, not no more. In New York? Okay. How long have you been living in Florida? For like 2 years. Okay. So, you you don't have one out of Florida. I just I just I'm back and forth. Like I said, I got shot, so I go to physical therapy in New York. I don't have insurance over here. >> What What medications >> have two licenses. What medications are you taking for >> I'm taking right now because of my breast I have the Oxycodone because of my teeth. I have muscle relaxers because of my teeth. I have What's What's the names? I need names. I I see there's there's Oxy. Yeah. So, it's there. It's on That has my name on it. Those Oxy's have my name on it. What is Let's see. The Tramadol and the Gabapentin. Tramadol's for my arm. That's a nerve That's for my nerves. And the Gabapentin is also for my arm. That's for my nerves. Okay. Like when I got shot, I got shot in my clavicle and in my in my teeth. I just I have to bring my phone over and show you. The Tramadol? Tramadol. Okay. There's nothing There's Is there anything with a name under the Tramadol? I could grab If you grab my phone, I have pictures on my phone with the prescription. Got my phone. For Tramadol? For Tramadol, sir. Yes. >> Okay. You Where's your phone at? Is it over there? It's on the dashboard. Why? Is there a prescription bottle? A Tramadol? Yes. Because that's how I get it from the pharmacist. I swear to God that's how he gives it to me. That's exactly Yeah, he gives it to me. It was a It's a full bottle like that with a cotton and stuff like that. Like that he gives me a full bottle like that for my meds. That's how I got my full prescription. I get a full prescription every month. I go to physical therapy. I go to um I go to I go to pain management. I have my pain management and Hey, uh Nate, there's a There's a phone in there. Can you grab it for me? What does it look like? Is it an iPhone? Yes, iPhone. It's on top of the dashboard. Is it in a case? It's on the driver's side. >> on the driver's side. And if anything, if Can I call my pharmacist to send the the the thingy over? I don't I wouldn't lie to you. Well, the reason I'm asking is because that bottle's only for pharmacists. That That's where I got it from. My pharmacy My pharmacy. Okay, but That's how he got That's how he gave it to me. So, since I'm >> So, like a regular pharmacist at a Swear to my son's life. Swear to my son's life. That's my Look at here. Hold on. Wait. Hold on. And you said you're prescribed Tramadol, Oxy, what else? >> I was prescribed I'm not prescribed Oxy's. I got Oxy's for my teeth. You got Oxy's from from when you got your teeth Okay. Is that the white ones? The No, those are yellow yellow. Okay. What are the white ones? The white ones those are Those are Those are Gabapentin's. Okay. And what are those for? Those are That's also for my arm. That's Gabapentin. >> Why are you breaking them up? Because they're 600 and I'm small. Okay. >> I only take three. I can only take 300. >> are you mixing those with other bottles? Only because I get a really really big bottle of it and I didn't want to drive with a really really big bottle of the gabapentin and I'm going back home. That's why. I swear to God. Okay, cuz they're mixed in between. I know because usually I just like I said I carry You can't be doing that, so. I but I didn't think I was going to get pulled over and in trouble for it. That's my meds. Here's your phone. Show me where your prescription is at. Can I Can I just rub my arm? Come here. I need to see this prescription for this uh tramadol that you're telling me. Hold on. Can I at least call the like the pharmacist? >> No, no. I need to see the >> Can I ask him to send it to me, please? But I thought you said you had >> I know but I'm instead of I'm telling you can I ask him to send it to me, please? You said you have the >> do have the I do have a photo but can I ask him to send it to me? Okay, show me the photo. So you don't think I'm lying. No, I just need you to show me >> I understand. I'm looking for the prescriptions. I'm not going to lie like I wouldn't lie to you guys. New York >> you have the prescription? New York New York State like I'm hold on I'm sorry I'm looking for it. I got shot it's because I got shot. I'm telling you guys the truth. I don't I wouldn't lie to you guys, please. >> Do you have any Do you have any mental disorders? No, I don't. Have you had any? No, I've never. It's because I got shot and when you when I got shot look I got shot in my clavicle. Let me show you the holes. Well, I know I'm not I'm not >> So what happened is it's a nerve med. So they give it to you it's a nerve medicine. Do you have anxiety? No, it's for me to getting shot. Look at Look at my arms. Do you see my arms? No, let me show you something. Look at my arm. >> Yeah, listen. I have really bad nerve damage. So that's why they gave me gabapentin cuz they can't continue to >> you need to show me Show me this give me that. prescription, please. Okay. Cuz if not we're going to This is your one chance that I'm trying to give you right now. Can I Can I please have him pull up Can I please call him to have him send it to me? It has my name and everything, please. >> I need you I'm looking for it but please can I have him call me with the with the whole thing, please? It's 11:36. >> okay. I know him. Can I please have him call up Can I please call him, please? I wouldn't lie to you, sir. Please. Just show me the prescription. You're saying you have a photo of it. I can't find it at the moment, sir. I'm really nervous and I have a lot of stuff in here. Can I please just ask him to send it to me? But can I please just have him send it to me so I don't go to jail? Okay. Give me the Do you have the photo, yes or no? Yes, sir. Hold on. Please. I don't want to go to jail behind this. That's for and I need those meds. I really need those meds. Please, I wouldn't lie to you. I'm I showed you the the wounds and everything. Okay, give me a second. Hey, state 10-12. Yeah. Notably, these items were located inside the child's backpack. The mother said she was unaware but from a safety and regulatory standpoint, awareness is not the only factor considered. Can I Can I at least please just I call this call the pharmacist and tell at least go to the shop, please? So you can go to the pharmacy his pharmacy. So he really take a picture of the computer of the cuz everything's on the computer and through my insurance. Yeah, those are supposed to be in a prescribed bottle. I understand what you're saying. >> It's a prescribed drug. You understand? It's a controlled substance. I'm getting them prescribed. So like you can see I don't want to go to jail behind this. I understand that but I'm just like I told you I have the I I I gave you >> I know I I tried to look for it. I tried to look for it. And I showed you where I got shot at. I believe you got shot. I'm not saying you don't. I believe you're taking oxy. Okay. >> Sir, can I please I'm not taking I'm I'm not I'm not I I'm not I'm just yeah, just You just go take care of that. Go take care of it. Hey. Please, please. Chill, just chill. I can't calm down. All right. What's happening? Besides that, is there a reason why there's cannabis inside your kids' backpack? I [laughter] didn't know that it was cannabis inside there. I swear I swear to everything I love I did not know there was cannabis in there. So who how would that get there? I did not know there was cannabis inside there. I don't I don't I did not know that there was cannabis inside there. Please, please, please, please listen to me. Please listen to me. Wait, you're hurting my arm. You're hurting my arm. Sir sir Sir sir sir Did you remember that thing that I told you if you start tensing up I'm going to charge you with resisting? Please, are you guys going to take my kids? No, we're not. Are you guys going to take the car? It's fine. It's fine. We leave him with your cousin, right? Can I take Can you guys Answer my question. Yes? Are you guys Are you guys taking the car? Your cousin's taking your the car. My cousin's going to take the car? I would assume so, yeah. I don't know if you guys are going to take the car, too. Okay, you need to face the Sorry I'm sorry I just wanted to ask the police a question, please. You have to face the car. Sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry. You're hurting my kid. You're hurting my kid, please. Hm. Hey. Here. Test the Test the 95, please. Or let's see a new test kit. The mother was charged with operating a vehicle, possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, possession of a controlled substance, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Under Florida law, if convicted, she could face penalties of up to 11 years in prison and $11,000 in fines. Panic itself is not wrong but when emotions become overwhelming, the risk of misunderstanding, [music] required intervention, and consequences for those present, especially a child, can increase significantly. At some point, family ties are no longer enough to keep everyone together. Cuz like they just keep playing with me and I swear to God I don't be doing nothing. I do my part. On September 10th, 2023, officers were called to an apartment after reports of a family dispute involving a biological mother, stepfather, and adult daughter over finances and housing. This was more than just an argument. It reflected a clash of rights, responsibilities, and family boundaries, especially with children present. Hey, we need y'all up here. This This is She just spit on me in front of y'all. Anyways She spit in my wife's face. She got a pistol and she put I want y'all to call me. She's in my house. Look, she's destroying my house. I come in here she's beating on my wife on the floor. Busting her nose, busting her face. My wife didn't do nothing to her. We told her she's going to have to leave cuz she said We told her you're going to have to start helping out on the rent. She said I ain't giving y'all nothing. I ain't doing nothing. We said well, you're going to have to leave. I leave to go to work. So my wife calls me and says we need you at the house and she's like bang da da da and then she hits my wife. I'm like I'm on my way. I come in here she got my wife in a choke hold down here. on her. She's throwing everything on the ground. Y'all she's breaking everything. She just had surgery. She has to go and I want to press charges on her. Anyways And then she hits my wife. They wanted me to get a $200 breaking on the door. You want [laughter] me to press some charges? give me y'all rent. And y'all not paying us. My name is on the lease. His name is not on the lease. You hear what I'm saying? She's throwing everything around on the ground. She's calling people to come over here and do something. I'm hearing all of this and trying to make it here and call the police at the same time. She waited till I left. Yep. She started packing her things. She's lying. You have to look. Where's my phone? Where's my phone? It's not a problem. Don't take anything that you didn't buy. I said I need to see what you're packing. I stood right there in that doorway. You got all of this stuff. She destroyed it. Is there a firearm involved? No, he's lying. They got a shot She sent me a text, right? I'm in the room putting the boys to sleep. So they told me that I had to leave, right? So she sent me a text to my phone. You got to And you And your mother Mind you I'm in the room on the phone with my friend. I didn't even see the message. So I'm pissed off. So I get up I start packing. He took the TV and my door off the handles. So I start packing my [ __ ] cuz I just bought food for the house. So I start packing my [ __ ] He gone. She here it's just me and her and my kid. So I'm packing my [ __ ] So here she come. Ooh, you must need help. >> What's What's your relationships? That's my mama and that is her her boyfriend, her husband. Sir. What's up, sir? She my mother. She jumped my wife. What's up? She got to go. Bro, you got to You You got to go, bro. She She jumped my wife. Bro. Both the stepfather and the daughter struggled to manage their emotions, making it difficult for officers to confirm details. During that time, they spoke with the mother, the only person who remained calm amid the tension. Anyways, like I was You see that stuff on the left hand side all the way in the back? That belongs to her. So we were taking stuff out of the refrigerator that she bought. Eggs, the bread, I put everything on the counter. She started packing it up. She noticed when I went to the refrigerator to start putting the things that she bought on the counter she went she tried to go around me to the door right there. I said let's do the door. And I said let's finish one thing at a time. She told me to move. And I said Don't move. Don't hurt yourself. Take it out of You're going to press charges. She threw it out of to go get the stuff in my bag. So when I called my husband I told him I needed him to come back. After I called him and then I said to call back. She started getting everything that she bought. So it hit all my walls on my floor. So I got the cranberry juice that she bought and I emptied it in the sink. Anyways, like I was saying she was like oh you must need help. So she started packing. So I start standing there. I'm throwing stuff away cuz I'm like you feel me I'm not going to take everything. So I throw all this stuff away. Here she come taking it out of the trash. Oh no, you're going to take everything. So that is why I'm irritated. Now you're being funny. You're being petty. I called my baby dad and I'm like you feel me I start telling him about the text that she sent me. So I'm like why is she trying me to send me the text saying like that cuz they be trying to prepare ahead of time. On my kiddies on my life My kiddies in my bag. I ain't touched that. It's still sitting there in the mother in the corner my be at the top. Why they got that laying out if I'm the one with I should put away in this house. But then they sitting in line. So So you do have a Yes. That's what I asked you if you have I said yes, it's in my room. No. >> said you know you said is there a firearm involved? No, cuz I didn't grab my is literally little sitting where it's been for the past few days. So, I start taking the stuff out of there and I'm throwing it away. She's trying to be funny. So, she started throwing my stuff on the floor. She opened this and she opened up a can of juice and started pouring it on my clothes. So, I'm like, "Oh, so we playing dirty?" So, I started grabbing juice and I started throwing it everywhere. Why is you like don't play with me? She got detergent and disinfectant in my baby's eyes. Who else is in this house? My brother and her her husband staying right there. You don't want to give them the babies cuz you're worked up right now. No, I'm not I do not want them with my kids. No, I don't. So, I started opening stuff and I started pouring it out cuz I'm like, "If we're going to play dirty, we're going to play dirty." She got detergent in my baby's eyes. So, then she go in my room she got my computer my school computer I got assignments due today and she put my in the water. So, I grabbed it so she grabbed me to keep to keep my phone. Come. Got her pepper spray and buffalo sauce and threw it all over. I got the drink that she bought and I poured it on her clothes. She got mad that I was messing with her in her in her face. So, she This is the aftermath. I don't know who she's called to come over here. She's put her hands on me. She's destroyed the house. She's very disrespectful. I can't take it no more. We've already been through this situation once before. The same thing she put her hands on me. That's This is the second time. Like the first time she jumped her right here. That girl jumped my wife right here. That We just asked her earlier today. Yes, she Yes, she I guess she blocked bottom. This is This is what I'm saying. This is the second time she jumped my wife right here. I have it on camera. My wife us we made her leave. She came back here begged us to come back said she would change. She came back and apologized. As a mother who apologized I'm thinking you blocked bottom you have nowhere else to go you burned all your bridges. As a mother I never want to see my children out on the street if you're in that but at the same time I can't live I can't bite my tongue because I don't want to hurt your feelings or get you upset and not do this. I can't I just had a surgery. I've bent over backwards to try to help her get her on the right track. We babysit she pays no bills. Where did the She has a She's I'm saying where did it She's on the phone with me. She took my phone and destroyed it. She wait Everything happened so fast. I don't know if she has a sister or what you did see. Statements continued from all sides. Notably, each person said they were only reacting not starting the conflict. This shared escalation is what pushed the situation past a peaceful resolution. Since you moved in it's cost us $22 a day in electricity. We need you to start pitching in. You just paid $600 for some skinny shots so you can lose some weight. You just paid over $1000 so you could celebrate your 22nd birthday. We need you to start putting in $300 a month. I ain't giving y'all nothing and I ain't leaving. And she walked off. My wife went in there to talk to her she said, "Get out of here." She said, "This is my house." So, I told her send her a notice that she has to vacate in 30 days. She got mad. She pulled a weapon on my wife. My wife called me. I told her don't worry about it. She's not going to do nothing to you. Then my wife calls me and says she's She's on the phone with me. She took my phone destroyed my phone. I'm back. I had to run in the house and she [ __ ] how are you [ __ ] to her mother. So, I didn't do nothing but I broke them apart. She's like you [ __ ] and she tried to my wife again. I broke it up she saw my wife again. How did that How did that get on you? Because when I backed her I was backing her up. And my wife was she was she was holding on to me. I didn't fight her back. When she started swinging I balled up. You never want to fight with your kids. Exactly. That's not even She just started throwing stuff all around the house. I'm sorry. I'm just really mad. That's okay. Cuz like they just keep playing with me and I swear to god I don't be doing nothing. I do my part. And besides they just keep trying me and trying me. So, she started My name is Milana. Y'all start going tit for tat with the property whatever the case is. >> She She started it first on everything I swear to god. So, when she grabbed me I'm like, "Get the [ __ ] off me." So, she's like, "Let me go. Let me go. The police is on their way." So, I'm like, "I don't give So, she had grabbed me she had like pushed me. So, I pushed her back and she grabbed me. So, we ended up fighting like don't keep grabbing me. Like I did not do nothing. They is upset because we're on Section 8 there is no rent. When you guys are fighting do you have Do I have No. Okay, what happened specifically what happened to your face? >> we When we fought So, I was getting my my shoe she I don't know what she put in the water. I thought she put my phone in the water. She put my phone in the water. So, I grabbed my computer. She grabbed me I'm like, "Get the [ __ ] off me." She's like, "Don't touch me." So, I'm like, "No, you don't touch me." So, she's like, "The police is on the way." and stuff like that and I'm like, "I don't give a fuck." I'm like, "You started it like you're upset for what?" And she goes she splashed in my eyes so I pushed her. And then she got down grabbed me and we just ended up fighting like can't do anything like with the pushing me and stuff. Like she think cuz she's my mom and she could just push me and keep doing [ __ ] Okay, what It was said that there's a weapon involved. Was there a weapon involved? I On my kids no. I have a I do have a It's in my room in in in a bag sitting on top of the dresser while I I No point in time did you ever take the My kids on my life may God down right now on my life. I swear to god I have not touched my Even with him sitting there yelling. If I'm the one with the Why is y'all Why my brother getting in the living room he he got a shot. He shot sitting in the living room. My kids still backed away in the room cuz don't keep grabbing me. You were throwing my my stuff in the water. You started it by pouring juice all in my room. So, yeah I started pouring juice in the kitchen stuff. I started taking my stuff out the back. She was upset cuz I started taking my stuff. >> So, who takes care of these babies other than you? They don't do nothing for my kids. It's just me. Where is the dad? Do you want me to call? Yeah. Baby daddy. Is he on his way? Yeah, I'm going to jail. Is he on his way? Probably so. Okay. All because we asked her to pay some rent and start trying to help out. Why are you yelling? Cuz they they know what's going on. You trying to listen to me listen to me. We get We handling it though. We going to We going to get it. We going to handle it. >> hope you arrest her. Listen She jumped on Listen to me listen to me. We We We just Y'all already up here. We brought it down to here. We're going to stay there. She We're going to arrest her. We're waiting for the the other parent to pick up the kids. Do you understand? Okay, I'm just saying the last time we went through Everyone needs to just remain calm and keep it under control. The last time we went through this we had a black officer show up. The last time we went through this a black officer showed up and told us and told us well she's your daughter and I can't prove who who swung who first so she nothing's going to happen to her. This is the second time she jumped my wife. Jumped on my wife. This is our daughter. We didn't We told we said we would never going to let her come back in after she on my wife the first time. She came back crying with my grandsons. She knows how we feel. Please I'll come back and I'll stop. How is it wrong that she's been here 7 months and we all we did was I We We sent her a text saying, "Hey, things aren't working out. I'll give you 30 days notice." right now. Like I said, you are going to take her to jail. We're waiting for the baby father to come pick up the kids. Okay? What I'm advising for you guys is She lives here. No, not anymore. Yes, she Start Start the eviction process. Go down to Fulton County. Get that paperwork in place so she is not so she doesn't live here legally. And then if you feel get a temporary protection order which means she cannot return to this premises. This is her destroying my house. Amid all the tension between the adults the children were the quietest figures present. They were not part of the disagreement and could not fully understand what was happening. Yet they are often the ones most deeply and lastingly affected. This is her I'm sorry. destroying my house. >> [screaming] >> Is that him? Yeah. Okay. Aslyn. They wet? I need you to um you might need to rinse out Aslyn's eyes cuz she had some detergent She put detergent in his eyes so just rinse his eyes out. Look at my mom she put detergent in his eyes. Yes. I rinsed it out though. I I don't know how that has a lot to do with it. But I'mma say this right here. You people are very manipulative. Y'all need to go on the computer and look up the I got you. They all Yeah. I'm just trying to arrest her. >> trying They They're trying to do the Section 8 thing. They trying to trick her put her on Section 8. Take her Section 8 stuff and have her Section 8 put her on Section 8. That's the whole thing they trying to do. That's what she telling me she got all that Section 8 Hey, that's what she telling me she got all that Section 8. She telling me that she Y'all got her she put sign on y'all Section 8. So, I didn't sign the lease. I'm not on the lease. Before she came >> not on the lease. She not on the lease. Am I not on the lease? She on the lease. Girl, I would pull it up right now and That has nothing to do with us. What What happened she getting arrested for? For hitting her in the Because Because She threw soap in his eye and she threw juice on me. >> What the hell going on soap in baby's eyes? Of course she didn't do nothing. I didn't Listen, I'm not What do we get arrested for? I'm not worried about none of that. You got to I'm not worried about none of Sir. But you're not worried about Partner, you got nothing to do with this. Yes, just I got you. Go Go in the car. Go in the car. Go in the car. That's what she telling me she lies. You telling me me and you Everybody Everybody will go to jail. Y'all not going to I don't want to hear it. Lower your voice. Okay, I'll lower my voice. She lied. That's why I came over here. That's why I came over here to talk to him. She tell me This This Okay, this is what this is telling me. They're on Section 8. Said that she signed a Section 8 voucher for them to continue to have a three bedroom. So, she added kids to the Section 8 because to me I was going to say, "Hey." I told her I said, "Hey." Because they called me. I wouldn't even have been involved. They want to call me a few months ago. We had a whole thing about the Section 8 this that That's none of y'all's business. Okay. So, we come to this Okay, okay. I said, "So, what are you doing to help yourself?" He tell me they're going to help themselves. Okay, I said, "Well, you're supposed to get Section 8." Okay, she said, "I'm on Section 8 right now so I don't need to move. I said cool. So it shouldn't be a problem. If you on the If you on the station right that means the voucher went up so you and the kids need to That means you can go This is not what I was saying. So once you do that then Okay, that that been dealt with. So you don't need to be trying to find her. Now I come today and find they have a whole big argument and I'm telling her hold up, slow up, hold up. You got to worry about these children first. Kevo, I told her this is I'm going to tell you what happened. See, you know about a lot of lies about everything. Kevo. That's why I won't come and talk to you. That's what I'm saying. But you That's why I come and talk Oh oh so you telling me? We told her Melania, we need your help. I'm out door dashing every day now because with you being here it's costing us $22 a day in electricity. I need you to come up with something. $300 a month. She said, this is what she said, I ain't giving you nothing and I ain't leaving. And walked out. So did y'all make up agreement how much she was going to pay you a month? We told her she never had nothing for 7 months. >> didn't give y'all We didn't give y'all nothing all these months. She didn't give us one penny. She's giving us nothing. See what I'm saying? You up here sticking up for her. She ain't gave us one penny. I've been paying a lot I've been paying money. >> Okay. But y'all didn't got to be telling me all this. I've been paying She ain't never had to pay uh daycare cuz she lied to you and told her I had you paying the full bill. She been lying about everything, dog. She won't do anything. The only thing you know what she had to do to stay here? Do dishes every Wednesday and Thursday. Did she do it? That was her rent. Dishes. She was charged with cruelty to a child in the third degree and simple battery. Under Georgia law, if convicted, she could face two to four years in prison. Sometimes love isn't about continuing to endure, but knowing when to stop for the safety, dignity, and future of those who need protection the most. Some incidents may look like a brief lapse at first glance, but a closer look raises serious questions about responsibility, boundaries, and how children are protected. This is the third time he wandered off literally in just a week. On June 24th, 2023, >> [music] >> officers received a report about a 7-year-old boy located roughly 14 miles from his home. Authorities immediately viewed this as a sign [music] of insufficient supervision. At the scene, they spoke with his 18-year-old sister who had been left in charge while their mother went to the airport to [music] drop off a relative. Is he in the car? So who are you? >> I'm Tiara. I was leaving trying to find him. Hold on, I'm talking to the police here. So who who is >> I'm the sister. Your sister, where's mama at? Mama just left to go take somebody to the airport but they coming back cuz they were a late flight. Okay, so who's in charge of him? What do you mean by that? I was watching him and he came out of the house. >> you were watching him. Yeah. 34-20, I'm going to be making contact with the sister. She was the one watching the child. How old are you? I'm 18. 34-20, she's going to be 18. All right, so how long's mom been gone? Just not too long ago. I don't remember Estimate. Like 20 minutes. My grandma just came, he was here. Went back in the house. Next thing you know, she came in my room told me I had gave him a banana and a Pop-Tart. Told me told me that uh she was gone or he was gone. He came out he went out the house again. I'm like, oh my god. So then I I left trying to go find him cuz last time he did this he was down all the way down with his bike down WeCare Park. Where were you at in the house? >> my room right here in the front. >> Where we just walked into? Yeah. >> That room you Okay, so you were in there and he Came out the garage. All right, so he came out the garage. How long has has How long has he been gone? >> It was just a second. Like literally I just saw him cuz I've been watching him cuz I know how I know he goes >> What's what's a rough estimate? I don't know. I don't know, it's a blur. I don't I don't know. I don't know. From the time when I left, I don't even know. I don't know. Do I would say about like 5 10 minutes. Like it wasn't that long. 5 10 minutes. Okay. It was I just saw him. No, no, I called his name but he wasn't there. Did they find him or no? Yeah. Yeah, he's safe. I'll tell you he I can tell you right now he's He's far away. Like he's very far away. This is the third time he wandered off literally in just a week. And he got him before. So can you get in contact with your mom? How long will it >> Yeah, she's on her way back now. >> How long will it take her to get here? Uh And then my stepdad that's I call my stepdad too, that's his son. He's on his way cuz I told him that he did it again. So you Okay, so you were here babysitting her and him. Do you want to call my stepdad too? No, just just get him her here. 34-20, the sister's making contact with the mother to get her 51 to this location. I'm going to wait for mother to be 10-12 and then I'll 10-15. 285. 285. Oh, she's in Moss Head. Goodness. My daddy might be on the way. Yeah, I know he's on 34-20, she's advising the mother is all the way out in Moss Head. All right. So yeah, she's on 285. I don't know. What What do you need me to do or I'm the sister. Give me one second. Let me make a phone call. Hang tight right here for me, okay? Who is this? The grandmother was also present to provide additional context. Although there were no signs of bad intention, [music] guidelines still consider allowing a young child to travel that far alone as placing the child in a potentially unsafe situation. The grandma okay. So grandma just Grandma's 10-12 now. Uh the the sister's 18 as of February. Okay. All right, 10-4. And he was just in there. All right, I'm going to go. All right. Talk to you real quick. Yes, sir. I'm going to go. Who is she to you? That's my granddaughter. She's my granddaughter. Who is he to you? My grandson. Grandson. I'm going to go get her switching to his behavior. All right, so you need to go You're going to go down North 20th right here. They're going to be down there. They The The officer is advising he's petrified right now and he is not I I don't He They're just saying he's he's upset. Um I need you I You're not going to like to hear this. I need you to take the little girl. Okay. So that she's going to She She's going to go to jail. I hate to say that. I do. What is she I just left the house about 10 minutes ago. It's It's there. How far he is, it's it's and it's a multiple I just I just left the house about 5 minutes. Don't Don't take him to jail, please. Go down there, you can talk to that sergeant, but right now I need you to take the little girl, okay? And head down there. All right? Hold on. Melania. All right, so she's going to go down there with her to pick him up. He's I guess he's upset right now. To who? Uh the boy. Okay. Your little brother. Okay. So he's pretty far away. So it's been a little bit since he's been gone. So you're >> I don't understand. He did that like it was like the other time when he did that it was just a second. >> So listen to me. So legally that is child Yes. Okay. All right, so as of right now, you are being placed under arrest, okay? Okay. All right, so you're going to go to Wonk County Jail for child in All right? >> Okay. All right, good. Throw your phone in there real quick. All right, your grandma's going to go down there and pick him up. He's fine. Okay. All right, 30. Got 34-20. What's that? 1915? What is this? All right, you have anything on you that's going to get you in trouble at the jail? No. Nothing? No, nothing at all. All right. So we're going to walk over here. All right, good. I'll talk to you in a freaking one second. The 18-year-old sister ultimately faced a child [music] in This situation raises an important question. Who holds primary responsibility? The parents or the person left in charge? And how can responses balance legal standards with compassion? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below. The law focuses on actions, but this situation pushes us to look deeper at responsibility. Say stop. Do you understand? On June 2nd, 2023, officers stopped a vehicle on suspicion that the mother was not in a safe condition to drive with two children [music] inside. Upon contact, officers began standard checks of her ability to operate the vehicle safely. 34-20. All right, I got my partner here. I'm going to have you step out and do some field sobriety tests with you, okay? Oh. You got a Car in park, you leave it on. You got to do kiddos in the back. Step up here for me. Ma'am, I don't want you to be on the highway. Yes. When did she put gum in her mouth? Yep. And I'm going to pull you All right, we're going to do a couple of them. You're going to do them beside of me, okay? Do you have any Okay. All right. You're going to You're going to do your exercise. Follow me. Um, do you want to do the basic in first? Yeah. And then we'll start with that and then we'll go to the next one. Okay. Can you see the reflection? Okay. So, what I'm going to do, I'm going to have you follow my finger. All right, with your eyes with your eyes only, okay? All right. All right. Okay. Okay. Okay, follow my finger. Okay. So, I got another exercise I need you to do. Uh, no, you you want me to get the the thing real quick? Throughout the process, even after repeated explanations, the steps were frequently interrupted, performed incorrectly, [music] or stopped midway, making the evaluation a serious concern. It also serves as a reminder that cooperation [music] and composure can significantly influence how a situation unfolds. Just do that one. Okay. All right, ma'am, I'm going to have you stand with your feet Take nine small steps. I'm going to have you turn around. Place your left foot on the line. Right foot directly in front of it. You're going to do nine steps on the line. You want to stay there. So, I'm going to go on my left. Yes, ma'am. I'm just I'm just explaining it to Okay. So, you want to place your left foot in front of your right foot. You want to stay on the straight line. You want to count nine feet. You're going to do it in a series of short turns. Come back, okay? Do you understand? All right. I'm going to demonstrate what I'm talking about. All right. Left foot. One, two, three, so on and so forth and then with your hands down to your side. You're going to turn. You're going to come back. I'm not going to count for you, you count out loud. You count out loud with your Your left foot in front of your right. Do you need me to explain it again before you get started? Do you want me to explain it again? I'm going to do it with my right foot. Okay. I'm just going to show you. While while he's demonstrating, put your left foot in front of your right foot heel to toe, keep your hands down by your side and stay in that position until he tells you to start, okay? Keep your hands down to your side, left foot in front of right. Two, three, four, so on and so forth until you get to nine with your hands down to your side, okay? All right. When you're ready, you may begin. Do you not remember the instructions? So, you don't remember the instructions? A short a short amount of turn, you're going to do nine steps back. But, now you have to go back. Okay. You're going to place your feet together, arms down by your side. When I tell you to begin, raise either leg approximately 6 in off the ground. Keep your foot parallel and both legs straight. Keep your arms by your side. Look at the raised the raised foot and count out loud in the following manner, 1,001, 1,002, 1,003, so on until you're told to stop. Do you understand? You have 30 seconds to to complete this task. Do you understand? I'm going to show you. So, whatever foot, you can pick whatever foot you want. 1,001, 1,002, 1,003, 1,004, 1,005, all the way until you get to 30 seconds. Do you understand? Huh? Okay, you may begin. Your hands down to your side, not that one. Your hands down to your side. Do you remember the instructions? Do you remember the instructions? Yes or no? I can't hear you, ma'am. Do you remember the instructions that I gave you? So, you no longer Are you done? No. So, what are we doing? I'm going to do it again. So, I'm asking, are you done with the exercise? No. Have you completed the exercise? No? Okay. So, did you put your foot down and we're restarting or are you are you finished with the exercise based on the instructions that you said you understood? You don't know? Okay. You said you understood the instructions, correct? I don't know, I didn't understand the instructions. Okay, you're mumbling, you need to speak up. When my partner asked you if you understood the instructions, you said yes. When he said begin, you began the instructions, excuse me, you began the exercise. And then you put your foot down and you stood there and stopped. So, are we finished or what are we doing? I'm sorry? Can I do it again? We can explain the instructions to you again or we can redo it, but you said you understood the instructions and you stopped. Do you see what I'm saying? We explained them to you, you understood them and then you began the exercise and you placed your foot down. During the remainder of the evaluation, the key question became whether actual performance matched the repeated [music] response of I understand. Okay. You want to do the next one? We're going to do finger to nose, okay? Stand with your feet together. Make a fist with both hands, extend one extend your index finger. Turn palms forward and place hands by your side. Remain in that position while I explain the explain the task. Do you understand? I don't understand the instructions. Palms forward. When I say begin, tilt your head back to approximately 45° angle, close your eyes. I'm going to demonstrate. So, this is what I mean. You're going to tilt your head back. Now, whatever hand I tell you, left or right index finger, you're going to come up. You're going to touch your nose. Okay? Do you understand? Okay, head back. So, you understand the instructions and the demonstration that you just did. I put my hands down, I put my hands by my side. So, are you saying that you understand the instructions provided by him? Do you understand what I just did? I can do it again. Okay. Okay. Keep your hands down to your side. With with whatever hand I tell you, left or right, you're going to hold your head back with your eyes closed. Then you're going to touch your nose with your index finger, you're going to bring it back down while I'll keep your eyes closed the entire time. Do you understand? Okay. I will give you a command of either left or right. When I say right, bring your right index finger up, touch the tip of your touch the tip of your finger to the tip of your nose, and return it back to your side. When I say left, bring your left index finger up, touch the tip of your finger to the tip of your nose, and return it back to your side. Do you understand? It'll It'll look like this. I'm going to sit here like my partner said. You're going to tilt your head back, close your eyes. When he says right, you're going to point your arm out like this, touch the tip of your nose, back out, and back down. Yeah? Okay. All right. Tilt your head back, close your eyes. Left. I'm going to tilt my nose. You said you understood. >> said you understood the instructions. And we actually said it twice. I actually as well as my partner. I know you did. Do you need another demonstration? Do you want another demonstration? Okay. You put your hands down by your side like this. You're going to close your eyes and tilt your head back. When my partner says right hand, you point your hand out, take it touch the tip of your nose, point it back out, put it back down by your side. And when he says left, when he says left, you're going to point out, touch the tip of your nose, point back out, hands down by your side. Okay? Do you understand the exercise and the demonstration that I just gave you? Okay. Okay. Tilt your head back, close your eyes. Right. Left. Right. Keep your head back, eyes closed. Right. Left. All right. I've got one more for you. You're going to place your feet together, your arms out to the side, heels heels touching heels, and toes touching toes. When I tell you to begin, you're going to tilt your head back at a 45° angle, close your eyes, and estimate the passage of 30 seconds in your head. When you feel 30 seconds have passed, bring your head forward and say stop. Do you understand? I'm going to start the watch 30 seconds. You're not walking. I'm going to read it again. Heels touching heels, toes touching toes. When I tell you to begin, tilt your head back at about 45° angle, close your eyes, and estimate the passage of 30 seconds in your head. When you feel 30 seconds have passed, bring your heels your head forward and say stop. Do you understand? You may begin. And you say you're not under the care of a doctor or anything like that? No medical No medical reason? All right. You're not under the care of a physician at this time for a health physical You're not seeing a dentist or anything like that, correct? Yes, ma'am. Okay. 10-15. I got it. Well, how far is your your mother out? Due to signs that she was not in a stable condition to continue driving, the mother was subsequently handled under applicable safety regulations. I put her in the You are being placed under arrest for the suspicion of DUI, okay? We're going to take you back to our police station. You want me to wait for the That way you can do it up there. You can I don't know how you got there. She's right there. Right there? 1 second. Can you do me a favor? Can you just figure it out now? Can you get their license information? I'll TOT the vehicle and such to them if that's okay with you. Yep. That's fine. The focus immediately shifted to the two children, >> [music] >> who would take them in, and who was eligible to take responsibility for the vehicle. The consequences of one personal decision quickly spread to people not directly involved, especially the children. Okay, I found her. I did call the police department to find out where she was at, but I'm here now. Okay, love you. Bye. No, I'm I'm talking to the police officer. Got to go. Bye. Hi. Do you have another occupant that could I've got the car seats. Okay. Oh, I don't have no Hold on. Cuz I I can't use it. Um um can you go to the house with the car hollering come and let me out Can I talk to her and let her know we're going to take her car to our house? 1 second because there's a time frame. Home Are you at home? No, I'm not. We have you to take the Do you have car seats for both the children? Yeah, cuz they're with me all but she just picked them up from me. They're over there. So, the kids are going to go with you. And Okay, and we're not going to wait for them to come get the car. We're going to tow the car. They're going to tow the car. Forget it. I I got to tow the car because I'm not going to wait. I'm not trying to be mean, but No, it's fine. Okay. And then we have we have to deal with her. So, do you have your license with you so I can say I turned the children over to you? That's why I was fixing to ask you. Don't you need my license? Yes, ma'am. No, I had to call them out the police over because I kept calling her phone. All she said was the near Lake Davidson. I've been riding around riding around. ma'am. So, I called Profling cuz that's where my son works, so Yeah, she just picked them up from me cuz I've had them. But, I can't read the time. That's okay. It's the same. It's the same. Um do you want me to tell you I dispatched it to this? Okay. I'm not trying to step on your toes or anything like that. You know I will run her real quick, TOT the kids to her. Yeah. Um let me get their car seats and the tow truck on the way cuz I got to get those. She don't have them in the back there. Um I'm not waiting cuz he's not even home and he has to go home to tell his new girl to come here, and that's too much time to wait while she's sitting in the car. Pull it over to the side and let you get her the keys. Whose property is that on? Yes, sir. I can ask. Okay, that's fine. We can do that. Well, let me call him back, my husband. >> that's fine. We'll leave it right there, then. You're going to leave it there or pull it pull it over to the side of the road? We'll park it right there. We'll make sure it's okay with him. Yeah, make sure first before I call him cuz I don't want him to get in trouble. They'll be fine. Go ahead and tell him to go home and get his stuff. Okay. Thank you. 122 Robin 6527. Oh. Okay. Um did we change it to a status so 10-15. All right, 10-15. You did? Yep. Nice job, man. No, it's You can't even clip. Okay. So, I ran her already? You already ran the kids. >> Yep. Oh, no, sorry. 122 Robin. Can you go ahead and make rotation around and let me know when you're ready to 652 single 39's information? Yep. Hey, guys. Here's this. Okay, get up there in your car seat. Make sure that the strap is over your neck. Yes, ma'am. Driving under the influence. In the end, the children were taken to stay with relatives in a safe environment. The vehicle was relocated according to standard procedure. Yeah. Who's all this? She Yeah. Hopefully hopefully they won't take long. Are you going to switch it out? Switch out? Yeah. I'll do the I'll do the paperwork. You can They were going to get her going on her BTO by the time you get done. Oh, okay. What's your first name? Take you to the PD. You guys smell like alcohol, girl. Um But, I stopped drinking and driving. Um can you hop out for me, please? Um you're going to go with me. Be careful. This is It's slippery, okay? All right. It's all right. Oh, okay. What? I gave you her DL already. Nope, hang on 1 second, okay? Nope. I got something in my pocket. Don't worry about me. All right. Melissa. samples, and I'll go over all the paperwork and everything for you, okay? I am taking it with her. You can go ahead. All right, do you have underwear and bra on? Mhm. Okay, can you separate your feet for me, please? No, I don't have underwear on. Yeah, I thought he had some. Separate your legs for me. I don't have anything. I have a little towel. I'm not trying to be mean. That's why we need to search your vehicle, okay? We want to make sure you don't want your vehicle turned over to you because you can get it towed cuz he's right here. What was right there? Blue Chevy truck? Who's that guy over there? I don't know if they can take it. They wanted to take it. They're not going They wanted to take it. For you. So, it's not getting towed. Okay, if they We need to know because you need to sign a vehicle release form. Or it's getting it towed. Don't don't don't worry about it. Okay. No, they can take it though. I That's fine. I want them to take it though so it don't get towed. When we ask you if we want it towed or you want it given to them. We're not asking to play games. Okay. Hey, get in the car, please. Because they're not like because they're not like family. Okay, that's fine. We'll seatbelt you in. Excuse me. Can you take the hair out of your mouth, please? Yeah. Where's it at? Excuse me. We are good. So, just take a second and get her. The mother could be charged with DUI, DUI [music] with a child passenger, and child under Florida law. She could face up to 2 years in prison and fines of up to $4,000. This situation shows that timely intervention is not just about enforcement, but also protection. Protecting those involved, the community, and above all, the children who cannot protect themselves. The boy wandered only a short distance, but it led to a long process of legal and safety considerations for his family. I don't want some crazy person to be picking you up, okay? He was on a four-wheeler? No, he's No, he's walking. In October 2024, police received a call about a 10-year-old boy who was found walking alone about 1 mile to a local store. Officers quickly arrived to ensure his safety and attempted to contact his mother. No. Okay. Are you homeschooled? Yeah. Yeah? Okay. Do you know how to read? Yeah. Yeah? What grade would you be in? Fifth. Fifth grade? How old are you? 10. You're 10? No, 11. You're 11? Okay. Do you know your mom's name? Yeah. Do you know a phone number for your mom? No. No? Where does she work at? A gas station. Okay. Which one? >> don't know. It's just a gas station. I don't know the name of anything. Okay. Do you care to write your name down for me and your birthday? Hm? No, that's perfect. I like your name. This is my friend Matthew. Thank you very much. That's an awesome name. You said What's your mom's name? Although Georgia has no specific law setting a minimum age for children to go out alone, child welfare guidelines suggest that children age nine can stay home for short periods. While the mother's decision was not entirely unlawful, it did involve certain safety risks. Okay. We'll call mom. Hello, this is Brenda. Hey, this is Deputy Robertson, Fannin County Sheriff's Office. Hey. Do you have a son named I do. Yes, I do. So, we're out with him on Railroad Avenue in Mineral Bluff. Mhm. I I mean, I'm I'm trying to figure He's walked all the way down here from wherever y'all live. We live off Market. Okay. Is there somebody at the house that's with him? >> My dad was with him. I had to leave to go pick up my other son and he was supposed to come with me and I couldn't find him anywhere. I guess he just decided to go walk off and go for a walk and so then I had to leave to take my other son to the chiropractor. Okay. You didn't think >> I just left because I didn't know if he was just back out in the woods and or where he was. Okay. You didn't think to call us? >> Well, no because I figured he'd come home. He does stuff walk back in the woods when he gets mad or frustrated and then he'll come home like an hour later. So, he never walked all the way to Mineral Bluff though. Okay. Yeah, cuz he I mean, he's walking down the side of the intersection and Um well, and to be honest with you, he's very defiant. He won't listen to me. So, I don't think that one day he might get picked up by you guys and maybe he would learn that he just can't do that because I've told him he can't do that before. >> More of our concern is him him getting hit by a car. >> Yeah, me too, but I don't I mean, I don't know what to do with him to be honest I'm at my wits' end with this kid. I have three other kids that are great and this kid just doesn't listen. Works. And honestly, I didn't know I could just call you guys when I wasn't 100% sure if he was missing because I was I thought he was maybe back in the woods cuz we've got 16 acres and he does that a lot. So, I didn't know that he was not on property. Okay. Um I mean, yeah, that's kind of important to to let us know if you can't find your child. So, even if I'm not sure that he's that he's on the property or if he's not. I mean, yeah, if if you can't find your child, that's that's kind of important. Cuz I thought you couldn't file like missing persons until so much time had passed. It's literally been 5 minutes since I had last seen him. Well, it's it's different when it's a child. Okay. Well, I just don't know these things. So, but yeah, I'm down in LJ. I'll be back home until 9:15 tonight. How long's it been since you've seen your son? >> I left the house and actually it was later. I left at 12:30 because I had to be down here in LJ at the chiropractor at 1:00. I'm sorry. At 12:30 and he was going to come with me. I brought his computer in the car. He got dressed. Me and my daughter went out and got in our and I told him I'd be in the car. We waited 5 minutes. He wasn't there. We went back inside to look for him. He wasn't in the house so I just left. I figured he was back in the woods cuz I think we just had an argument about his school work. Honestly, if you knew him, you would know that this is like this happens all the time. He gets mad and he stomps off in the woods and he comes back like an hour later when he's cooled down. So, I'm going to have to do a report on this. That's fine. Go ahead. Okay. So, if I can get you Do you have your driver's license on you? Uh yes. Officers reassured the child and helped him return home safely. All right, my friend. Are you hot or cold? Okay. Have you had anything to eat today? No? When's the last time you ate? Is there anything to eat at your house? Yeah? Did he tell me grandpa's here? Supposed to be. He said he hasn't ate today and can't remember the last time he ate. He's also lying. Yeah. All right. Come on out here. You got you a turkey? Got a turkey? What's his name? I don't You don't know? You got a bunch of chickens too, don't you? You got a big old rooster. Do you know what kind of chicken that is? No? No. No? Where is grandpa? Is he here? Big dog. Good. How long you got that dog shut up? I don't think so. They also spoke with the child's grandfather to explain what had happened. Come back out here with us for just a second. He's he's just a big baby. Is grandpa Is grandpa laying down? I don't know. He lives down in the basement. Where at in the basement? And he lives The whole basement is his home. Oh, okay. Well, can you Is there a way we can get somebody Do you care if we go with you? How's that dog? Can that dog get up here? No, I closed the door to the downstairs the entrance to the basement. So, he can't My grandpa There's another entrance down there. Can that dog get to that entrance? No. Okay. Let's shut that door and go around this way. Come to the door. She has an electric fence. Let's talk to grandpa really quick and then we'll get you inside, okay? >> Hey, that dog can't get over here, can't it? Okay. We went on that side. That dog about attacked us. We got your We got your grandson here. He was all the way down there at that store down there in Mineral Bluff. He's right here. Where you going? I don't know. You don't know? Where'd you want to go? I don't know. We called mom. Mom knew he was not at home and went to LJ. I wasn't LJ though. No, your mom is. I don't know my way to town. Yeah. Why were you down there? I don't know. I went to the wrong place. He's trying to go downtown Blue Ridge, he said. We're just concerned about you, bud, okay? >> You're not in any kind of trouble, okay? >> any trouble. Like I said, I mentioned it before, we don't want you to be ran over. We don't want some crazy person to be picking you up, okay? >> He was on a four-wheeler? No, he's No, he's walking. Has he Do you care if we walk around upstairs and look around? Is it okay with you? Can he take us up there? Can he take us up there? He can, yeah. I just want to walk around the house, just look around if that's okay with you. You walk around here now. All right. Thank you, sir. Nice to meet you, Abby. I'm going to look around and make not sure he's got get food or something. Yeah. Yeah, he said he only ate today. Um is there Do you know if there's There's not anything for him to eat? Yeah. Okay. All right. I appreciate it. Yeah, I called his mom. She said she knew he was gone, but she had to go to LAJ. Yeah. From my understanding, he's homeschooled. Yeah. Anyways, um we may come back down here if that's okay with you and just we've got to leave him with somebody. Later, it was noted that the child was managing [music] some behavioral or mental health challenges, highlighting that caring for a child involves both legal responsibility and emotional guidance. So, in Georgia you if he was to be hit by a car today >> Right. >> or something that that falls back on her. She would be charged for that. Yeah, cuz he's a minor. Right, and she knew he was missing and left him here. And so that's that's what this charge is similar to that. She knew he was missing, didn't report it to us, and he's out on a busy roadway and and cars are are flying past him. >> he was in the road? >> Yes, ma'am. >> On down here in the middle of the road. Yes, ma'am. I don't know. We We were That's what we've been discussing today was whether or not to send him out to live with his dad in Montana or not cuz he's just gotten uncontrollable. And maybe >> Besides locking him in his room, that'd be about the only way to keep him home. Maybe there's some kind of therapy or something like that that >> has spent two grand on therapy. >> Got you. And they he he stole his religion or or Yeah. >> day before yesterday, I took him to the river with me. He did everything I asked him to do, helped me plant plants. I mean, he was great and did and we just had the wedding, my other daughter's wedding. He acted really nice. He he was really good for the whole wedding. So, he'll go through when he wants to do something, he'll do it, but he just thinks that he can he can make the rules. >> Yeah. And just to explain the difference cuz I'll tell you we are dealing with something similar with another juvenile in the county. The difference is Now, is he juvenile? Well, they're they're both juveniles, but the difference is the parents they've built a fence around the house to try and keep him contained cuz he he runs away. So, they they built a fence around the house. I don't remember. He's young, too. He's elementary school. They've had to put locks on the inside of their door that he can't reach to keep him because that's their responsibility. >> Okay, so we wouldn't be in trouble for doing that then? No. If you >> him stay home. >> Right. >> I know that. I've raised four girls on my own in this house, okay? But I never had any of them act like this at all. If I mean, he but he also is um sad inside [clears throat] and and that's what we're trying to figure out what is going on. >> I I can see that talking to him today. >> Yeah, he's very sad. I mean Yeah, he was he was almost in tears when I found him. Said he He hasn't >> couldn't remember the last time he ate. No, he won't eat either cuz he eats junk food. He won't eat anything else. >> And that's we offered to make him something, get something to eat, and he just and so I just wanted to explain to you what the what the difference is so you don't think that we're just if we had been called and said, "Hey, I can't find my son." Well, that would have happened when she got back. >> Right, but that's that's a long time for a kid to be missing. She was gone for an hour before we knew. Even with good intentions, letting a child walk unattended can involve potential risks such as accidents or other safety concerns. Okay, so we're supposed to call even if they're out in the woods playing and we don't know where they're at exactly cuz this happens all the time. They ride motorcycles. There's 16 acres here. I own that cabin over there. There's times, I mean, when you don't know exactly where they're at, but you know they're on the property. That's what it has always been with him. Pitch a fit and go out in the woods and sit and cool off and then he come back. For some reason today, he elected to go >> Yeah, he said he was trying to find his mom and that she worked at a gas station in Blue Ridge and then we came around that she was a realtor. I still don't know what she does for work. I'll be honest. I Okay. She works out of this office right here. >> Got you. Yeah, we I I I never really figured out and know No, you don't know what's going on. I understand that. All I know is I have a child that's running around and a mom that's telling me I knew he was missing. That you knew to what? I had I had a child that's running around in traffic and a mom that's telling me she knew he was missing. Okay. Right. So from that point >> at that point I would see an arrest because it should have been reported to us. Okay, well she did report to you when you called her. >> No, that's not how that works. That's not how that works. She She didn't Okay, so we're supposed to always know. Okay, so yeah. So, we're just Yeah. Like you said, people got to put a fence up around their their yard to keep their kids in and if they don't, then it's their fault that the child is is acting like which is what he's doing. Okay. You know? I mean, that's crazy. Is she in the car or is she >> No, no, she's already she's already gone. Okay. So, she could lose her um way of making a living by being arrested. You do realize that. >> That's not my concern. My concern is the children. Yeah. The children are fine. Um also, there's a Dfact referral, so they'll be coming out as well, okay? That's fine. Okay. I think that should be the best interest of everybody is the children. A few days later, officers returned for the mother to address her legal responsibilities. Fan 3020, what you got? 10-4, Fan. I'll place you 21. Your what? I got mine. Which door? This one or this one? This one? Or somebody sitting right there? Is that her? Is that her? Yeah, that one's a case of water, too. Hey, Britney. Yeah. I need you to come out here. Okay. No, not 1 second. I need you to come out here. >> Hey guys, can I can I call y'all right back in just a second? I got somebody at the door here. Okay. Okay. All right, thank you. Okay. Yes, ma'am. Is there somebody out here with the kids besides your grandpa? No. Mhm. Okay. Huh? No, there's nobody here but paw. Okay. Turn around for me. Why? Cuz you're under arrest. For what? >> For the incident we talked about earlier today. What am I under arrest for? For reckless And how was I recklessly endangering We're not talking about it. So, I'm going to call mommy and tell him they're taking me to jail because you had decided to walk down the street. >> both your hands That's not his fault. You're the mother, so that's your responsibility to keep up with your >> I need you to not talk to me, please. child. Okay. >> Hey, Soarin, give her a call. Okay. I need >> Last time I checked, it wasn't illegal for a kid to walk to the store. It is when they're 10 years old. It is? Yes. >> Okay. I'd like to see that on the books. Well, you'll see it on your warrant. At the same time, they arranged temporary care for the child. You want to take this watch off or you want to take it with Okay. Well, then I'm calling Dfacts. Soarin, come here. 350, babe. Show 1 female 95. Come here. No, I want you to call mommy. She knew where I went to. 10-4. Take your purse out. Hey, mommy. Hey, come here. Let me talk to her. Can you hear me? Yes. Uh the police are here and they're taking me to jail. So, I need you to come stay with the kids. 39, 10-10, 10-40. No, I'm not taking them to their grandma's. I'll be there in just a couple minutes. Okay. Bye. All right, bye. They're taking me to jail. I love you. >> Love you, too, baby. You You coming with me? I'll be back. Do you need to wait for my mom to get here? We'll wait. Yeah. Okay. Can I tell my other two kids goodbye so they don't freak out? Please go get them. Do you need to take anything with you? Do I need anything? Wallet or anything do you want to take it with you? I probably should. It's in the car. Which vehicle? This one or The black one. Is it unlocked? Uh yes. Okay. You give me permission to get your wallet out of it? No. Okay. Make sure your chickens aren't in your jacket. Yeah, no. There's Yeah, there's one in there. There's another one in that one. The mother was charged with reckless endangerment. Under Georgia law, she could face up to 1 year in jail and a $1,000 fine. You need to check it for anything. I'll have to carry it. Can I get your phone for anything that's on you? No. You can stick the phone in there. That's fine. I don't have any pockets. Okay. Nothing on you that's going to get you in trouble once you cross guard lines? I don't think so. I'm just going to look through this and make sure there's no weapons or anything like that. All right, now I'll carry whatever this Nothing in your purse, right? I don't think so. You're We're ready to this car here. Okay. Go ahead and fasten your side. Okay. Will you buckle her kids? All right. So, what we'll do, slide all the way to the edge of the seat cuz the seat buckle is under you. Yeah, you can slide. Good. This case emphasizes that parental responsibility goes beyond following the law. It also includes ensuring a child's safety and supporting healthy development. What led her to this situation? Let's find out. On July 23rd, 2024, a mother allowed a person she did not know to ride in her car with her two young children. While her intention was to help someone in need, the situation escalated, requiring police intervention and an investigation. So, I had picked two gentlemen down the road up to give them a ride here to go to the general, and he got down. I don't know what this dude was doing. He was locking the gate. And so this guy's yelling, "Help me!" whatever this guy. So, I get out of the car and I'm like, "Well, what's going on?" And he's hitting me with the pepper spray, mind me. And I don't even know what's going on. Doesn't explain himself or nothing. The guy's yelling for water and stuff like that. He's coming around, getting close to my car, getting close to my kid, trying to take my license plate out. He sprayed his pepper spray. I'm covering my kid. So, all my back was covered in pepper spray. Getting it in my kid's face. This gentleman sees everything. I sprayed him cuz he got close to me. I felt Yes, I sprayed him. Real quick, where's the guy you picked up? >> I don't know. He took off on foot. I don't know him. How can you say I know him? Asking her by name. Angela, give me water. Angela's not her name. Sit in the car, please. I'll talk to you in a sec. >> My kid's still burning in his eyes cuz of this gentleman. Okay. Okay. by my kid. I do want to press charges. Do you want an ambulance here? Yes, I do. To check my son's eyes out and I'm burning all the way down my back. I do want to press charges. Derek Stansberry. How old is your kid? He's three. Three? I got a 6-month-old in the car. If that window was not closed, he would have got my baby. To verify the entire incident, the authorities entered a nearby store to take statements from the employees. Okay, I'll I'll I'll talk to you away from her, is that way So, this guy, he's filling up a shopping cart, going throughout the store. I know what exactly what he's going to do. I've seen it before. And sure enough, he comes through here acting like he's going to pay. He comes right right by me here, and I let him go cuz I already had the front gate locked. I had the doors on off, and I could just open manually. I opened the doors for him. He went through, shut the doors in behind him. I locked it, called the sheriff right away. He started on my glass, pounding this out of my doors. Pepper sprayed him, calmed him down, get him to stop. He did for about 20 minutes. Then he got crazy again. He was having communication with her 100%. Bring me water. And he was getting in my face, coming up onto the sidewalk. Asked, "What's going on?" He knows exactly what's going on. I told her to not come near me or I'll mace you. And she didn't, and that was good. But then when I walked around to get her license plate a picture of it, she started getting in my face and being weird. I said, "Don't get in my face." And she started backing off, and she sprayed me. I didn't do anything to her. And as soon as she sprayed me, I sprayed her back. >> So, she busted this window right here? >> Yeah, busted it. And he went into the store, went out the back door, ran that way. I saw him at the laundry. He is definitely at the laundry here. The laundry by the car wash over here? And and I'm not trying to be funny or anything. She's lying. She let that man get out of the car, and I watched her spray him first. Well, she said picked him up down the street for a ride. No, she didn't. They got together. I can't breathe. Her name is How long ago did they say they saw him down at the car wash? She just The lady right there that's getting in the car, talking to the officer. They just told me they just pulled up. And he went out the doors with 246384. Can you confirm what he was wearing? Black dark blue jeans. He had a ice hockey baseball shirt with the number 15 on it. He's got no shirt now. He had a black white t-shirt He took it off on your back. Did he hit anybody or threaten anybody? He's got tattoos on his face, down his neck, and all across his entire back. They also reviewed security camera [music] footage, which helped piece together the full sequence of events. You'll see him break the window here, too. That's me out front. So, he was shirtless, he didn't have a shirt on underneath that one. He had a shirt on. He was shirtless, that's right. So, I I didn't see the black white. But he took the shirt off cuz he was burning. See, here she comes, gives him the water. What did he break it with? His foot. No, he kicked it over here. Here he goes. There he is. What color? Okay. Uh do you have an idea on him? Yeah. There you go. Would you be able to fill out a statement for me? Sure. Be right back. If that's where the pepper spray happened, the only way I think she could have gotten it on her kid is if she touched him after that. >> got it from her, yeah, cuz I was directly behind the car when I sprayed mine. The mother explained she did not know the individual, but still allowed him near her vehicle. This serves as a reminder that even well-intentioned actions can carry risks, [music] especially when children are involved. If that window was not closed, he would have got my baby. Who is this gentleman? 6-month-old, and I just arrived. You guys okay? Yeah, because I had given a gentleman a ride. Did you know the gentleman? No, I didn't know what this gentleman was doing. He comes out, he's yelling, "I had money to pay for my stuff. I had money to pay for some of my stuff." This guy is locking the doors. I'm like, "You come any closer to my car, I'm going to spray you with my pepper spray." >> You said that to him? Yes, I warned him once. So, he's coming this way. My son, he has autism. So, he's jumping around and yeah, trying to get out of the car. So, I'm trying to get to the door, and mind you, this guy has his pepper spray out, spraying me, and I'm blocking my son, and he gets my son in the eye. I had to clean and wash it out. He's getting my license plate down, and he's like, "Oh, you know this gentleman?" And I'm like, "I don't even know him. I picked him up down the road, and I brought him this way. If I wasn't covering the door and him in the front of the door, he would have sprayed inside the car on my 4-month-old. Can I get your ID and then their names? No, sit down in the car. And Angelica, while we're waiting, can I just clarify some things with you? So, from what you told me, you picked up this individual, you don't know who he is. Where would you say down the road? You picked him up at a car wash at the laundry. Did he ask you to come here or did you come here? No, I came here. So, you came here, he goes inside, you're staying in the car with the babies. Yeah, I did. You hear something happening in the front of the store, get out to go check. The manager's yelling at the other individual. Do you pull your mace out at that time or did the other guy? No, he did. So, he said, "If you come any closer, I'm going to spray you." I said, "Well, what's going on?" And I'm like, "Well, what's going on?" You know? And you were by I was right here by the post cuz he's already going to try spraying me. What is it that made you pick up this individual? I don't know. Usually I I mean, I talk to a lot of people around everywhere, you know? When I stopped, I just asked if he needed a ride, and he said, "Yeah, can I get a ride?" I said, "Okay, go down to the dollar store." I said, "I got to get some things." Did he have anything on him like anything like that? I believe he was wearing just a white t-shirt, and that was it. Did he make any statements to you besides he was just going to get down and No, he just said, "I got to get down and get a few things." He goes, "Let me get down first, and then then you can go ahead and go in." He goes, I was like, "Okay." I have my kids in the car. So, I was like I was like I was like, "Well, go ahead and get down first, and then I'll get down." Well, he was kind of taking for a while. I sat there, and I was like, "This is taking a while." He didn't bring me to the manager, so I was like that's when I got out, and I'm like, "Well, what's going on?" I had a water in the car, and he's like, "Can you give me a water? I can't breathe." I got the water, and I threw the water at him like that cuz he was already like The guy. The guy you picked up? Yeah, like He got sprayed with mace, too? He Oh, yeah, that guy. He's like, "I'm not letting you go." And I'm like, "Well, what's going on?" He's like, "What do you think's going on?" I was like, "I don't know, that's why I'm asking." He's like, "Well, he's stealing." I was like, "I didn't know he was going to come in here and steal." The case highlighted [music] the balance between helping others and ensuring child safety, and led to legal procedures being initiated. So, I'll be honest right now, I'm not too concerned about that aspect. My partner is investigating that aspect. What you're telling me matches what the witness told me. Why did you let an unknown male into your car when you had a 6-month-old and a 3-year-old in your car? Yeah, and that's when I pulled this out. That's your mace? Yeah, it's a domestic thing I do. I don't want to pull it out. I don't want to spray you or No, no, no. Oh, yeah, so sorry. No, no, no, no. Okay, something you normally do is pick up strangers Um sometimes, yeah. When I see them or whatever, and I see it's a hot day, like I'll pick them up. My dad always tells me not to be doing that, unfortunately, because it could be dangerous. But you know, I learned the hard way, I guess, cuz look what I just got myself into. And like And that's why I'm asking. Pepper spray is no joke. And then I had my kids with me at that. If I would have known something like that was going to happen, I definitely would not have my kids with me. I teach preschool. I teach kids with that have disabilities and stuff. So, I work with children that have disabilities. My son has a disability. It does happen quite often that you pick up strangers Yeah. Just to get them out of the heat. That sort of thing. Nothing about him that you saw concerning, you just wanted to help him. No. How often would you say you do that? Uh I mainly only do it for children and females when I see them walking. I would say I do it about six times a week, you know? Six times a week? Cuz I do work for Lyft, too. So, it's like >> In this car? No, not in this car. I have another car that I work for Lyft. This is a loaner from the dealership. I need to talk to my supervisor for a second. Based on what you're telling me, I am going to go ahead and just detain you for right now. You're not under arrest at this time. I just needed to talk to him and possibly call a few detectives, and they might want to speak to you, okay? The mother now faces the possibility of being temporarily separated from her children during the investigation. Witness says she sprayed the employee first, and then he sprayed her. She's saying Okay, I was going to say, she's saying the employee sprayed her first, and she went to protect her child and got sprayed. None of what she said makes sense with what the witness said or where she got sprayed. They have a footage of that little interaction. Well, pretty much, the manager came over here to get her license plate. She got pissed off. As soon as she got behind the car, she reached out and sprayed. Nothing you guys sprayed. He sprayed her right back. She got kind of violent. Okay. Your name's Angelica, right? Okay, so you have the right to remain silent or make any statement. Do you understand your rights as I've explained them to you? Okay. So, could this Maybe. Okay. Who was in the car with you? I don't know. You don't know who he is. Because from what we're being told, you would be willing to pick up a complete and total stranger with your kids in the car. Yeah, I I pick him up all the time, even like cuz I live right there at the war zone, you know, I live right there in the back of the park. I pick up women and children, too. I pick up older men. I pick up anybody. Okay. So, do you understand how that can be a danger to you? You randomly chose him. I told the officer already that I now I understand like that there's no one can lead to things that like this. You have absolutely no idea who this guy is. No name, no nothing. Okay. Well, you're going to have to sit tight cuz next we're going to be doing all of the crimes against children you did. Please, no. Especially until we got to we got to identify who this guy is, so I don't know anything. Hang up. Hang up. The situation became more difficult during interactions with law enforcement, likely influenced by stress [music] and anxiety. I want my kids! [screaming] You guys can't arrest me. I'm telling you. There's no telling what the law is. I want my kids! I need to call my parents! You guys are doing this all wrong! You guys are doing this wrong! Oh, my kids! [screaming] My babies! All right, Angelica, we're going to head inside for right now. I know you have a bracelet on your wrist, and I need I need my phone to call my parents. What do you want to tell your parents? I need them to get my kids. >> So, they're not going to be able to get the kids. >> Yes, they are. How old are they? I need to get my kids. I need to call them to get my kids. I need to call them to get my kids. I'm going to have you just stand right here. I need to call them to get my kids. I need to call them to get my kids. >> Do you have anything on you that you No, I don't. Do you have any weapons? No, I don't. I need to call my parents to get my kids. You guys are not putting them in the system. I need to call my dad like right now. What's your dad's name? My dad's name is David. I need to call him. What about your mom's David is in that link. I've got I don't associate with my mom. So, just your dad's? I need to talk to my dad now. I need them to go get my kids wherever you guys took them. Like I said, they're still with the other detective. Well, I need to get them to go pick them up in my car. You don't have anything in your bra, do you? >> No, I don't. Okay, go ahead and lean forward. Just the top part, I'm going to shake out your bra. I'm going to take off the bracelet. Do your rings come off? >> No. I need to call my parents now cuz you guys are going to put them in the system. I need to call my parents. I'm going to put a different pair of handcuffs on you, okay? I need to call my parents. I need to call my dad. I need to call them right now. I need to call my parents. I need to call my parents right now to get my kids. And they the only kids that you have? No, I have my other ones. My parents have them. They're with your parents? Yes, I need to call my parents. Go ahead and take a seat. No, I need to call my parents. I hear that you want to call your parents. I need to call them to get my kids. I told you we're talking to them. I need to call them to get my kids. >> [music] >> Ma'am, Angelica, CYFD is here. They want to ask you a few questions, okay? Okay. Go If you're going to talk to them, I need you to sit on the bench and stay seated. Child and Family Services became involved to assess and evaluate the children's safety and the situation severity. Hi. Hi. My name is Kim. This is Dana. We're here because we received a report. So, the allegations that we have are for other neglect. We alleged purpose of the stuff and then the So, that's my report. So, what happened today? Yeah, I picked up an unknown male on Hillcrest and I took him to the Dollar General and he went into the Dollar General first and I didn't know if they were going to do the stuff. He comes out of the Dollar General saying I paid for all this stuff. Well, he didn't say stuff. But, he said he didn't pay for the gas money to pay for all this stuff. So, I got out of the car and I said, "What happened?" And then the altercation was between me and her employee. He used pepper spray and stuff like that. And what was the reason that you picked up unknown male? I mean, I always do it. Like how many people do you pick It's hot out there. Do you do it with your kids? Oh, sometimes, yeah. And you're not afraid of your safety or your children's safety? No, I don't. You know, I realize that a lot of the times I only do it for children and kids that are walking. Okay. I rarely do it for for males that Okay. And still, how much how many times a week would you say you pick up random Women and children, about six times a week. Males, it's rare. Okay. Here and there when I pick up random males. What did you pick up that It's that I don't know Do you know his street? I don't know his street, but down the road I asked you. You didn't know his name or anything. He didn't even provide you with a name, a phone number, or anything. No, I didn't ask for it. What happened? Sorry to interrupt you. I just picked him up and then And then you dropped him off at the Dollar General, right? And then what else happened? He got down first and then went in there, stayed in there for 10 minutes. He came out with the other guy walking out of the store. The man held onto the door and I didn't know what was going on. They were yelling at each other cuz he came around from the other side of the store. So, I thought it was So, the guy that he's with was wearing all black. You couldn't really tell if he was a worker or not. He wasn't even wearing worker clothes or anything. Okay. So, he comes around and there's an altercation between them and and I get out of the car and I'm like, "Well, what's going on?" You know, He's like, "What do you think's going on?" And I'm like, "I don't know." And he's like, "Well, he's stealing." And I was like, "How was I supposed to know he was stealing?" I didn't know that. And what about with the pepper spray? He got close to my car. I felt My kids are in the car. What was I supposed to do? And then he told me, "You guys like I'm a teacher. I teach at school. So, this time These charges does not right. You do have two prior cases with us. No, I don't. I've never had CYFD. The last report was closed on March 1st of 2023 and I work for an active shelter. And then you know, we we were homeless and we had another one back in 2019. I don't know what that was for. I don't remember that one. You said you're a teacher. What school? I teach at La Petite. Okay. I've been a teacher for over 5 years. Like I have my own house. I have my own place. I have my own car. The following procedures were completed shortly after. We're going to stand on those yellow boxes, face the desk. I'll do my side then they'll do theirs. So, the same thing as before, back of my hand's going to come down and across, okay? I have put a little paper in one of these pockets. I need to call David on the phone. Yeah, it's his phone number. I put it in this one, so I'm just going to leave it. Same thing, back of my hand's going to come down and across. I told my children my Any jewelry you have on that comes off, okay? The mother was charged with child abuse and battery. [music] Under New Mexico law, if convicted, she could face up to 4 years in prison and a fine of up to $6,000. This case reinforces [music] that kindness must go hand in hand with caution as even small decisions can have significant consequences [music] when children's safety is at stake. The older child was responsible for looking after her younger sibling while the mother was not at home. I don't even know what happened. You left a 7-year-old and a 16-month-old baby alone. On February 16th, 2024, Palm Beach County deputies received an emergency call about two young children who may have been unsupervised. Officers quickly arrived, verified the situation, took statements from the stepfather, and checked the children's condition. I'm just going to swear you in and then you're going to tell me what you did. Just raise your right hand. Just state your name. Emerson. All right, put your hand down. Just tell me what happened. >> So, I arrived around Around 10:00? Entered the apartment, heard the baby and went into the bedroom, saw the baby was in the crib. My stepson, the 7-year-old, trying to console her. Thought maybe, you know, my wife was in the bathroom or something. I got her a bottle Okay. and I said, "Where where's Mommy?" And he said, "She left." And I said, "Are you sure? Like she's not taking the trash out?" He said, "No, she left." I said, "When?" He said, "I don't know." I looked at my text messages. I mean, I normally would be getting home now. I'm home early. Okay. Um Everything happens for a reason. Yeah, the last contact that I had with her was like quarter after eight. She had texted me asking for Thomas's, our son's, remote for his TV. That's your stepson, right? Yeah, I didn't see the text or anything. Like I I run a restaurant. Yeah, you were busy. >> All of a sudden, it's like getting ready to leave and I responded back. I said, "Hey." Okay, so that was at Okay. I found them. >> How was the 7-year-old? So, I contacted his father. Okay. His father instructed me to bring him to his grandparents who are staying at an Airbnb down the street. >> Where are they staying? Now, was Remy crying when She was crying? Yeah. Was her diaper changed? Uh no. And she's sick also, so she had Okay. Now, this is the other father, correct? >> Yeah, he's a firefighter. Can I just click his name to get his phone number? Yeah. So, why did he not call? I told him not to contact her. And have her Your parents contact her? So, where is he right now, working? I believe so. All right, just raise your right hand. Is everything you told me the truth? >> Yes. Okay. I'm just going to call I mean, at this point, the mental health thing is like the big issue. We talked to another deputy earlier. They were describing the difference between marijuana and meth. I was a mental health professional. I was a certified addiction counselor. Did you have her location? I do not have her the sister. Can I just get her phone number? Not the sister, the your wife. Yeah. During the response, authorities coordinated to confirm the circumstances, ensure the children's safety, and locate the mother. Is this Tom? Okay, you have a son named Thomas also, correct? Who is 7? Okay, now I am being told you got a phone call today about him being Okay, are you at the address in West Palm? Uh right now, no, I'm at work. What happened tonight? Yeah, her husband he called me. He observed that both children were at home alone and they were both awake. Okay, now have you spoken to your parent who has your child? Now, did they say he had any injury or distraught or anything of that nature? Oh, I did. I spoke to him on the phone. Okay. He was talking in his normal self. Okay, perfect. I just wanted to touch base with you because obviously she is going to be arrested. Okay. Obviously, I do have to contact DCF in regards to this, obviously. So, they might be reaching out to you, but other than that, that's going to be it for right now. >> Yeah, that's fine. Do you have any questions? Did you find her? For right now, she is at the bar. Okay. Yeah, I mean, if she's at the bar and she left them home alone Yeah. All right, have a good night. You're welcome. When she was located, the mother appeared stressed, illustrating the challenges parents may encounter in supervising their children. >> [clears throat] >> Turn around. Come on. Come on. Keep coming. Keep coming. Keep coming. Keep coming. What's happening? You're okay. Keep coming back towards us. Come over to the right. Courtney, you're right? Yeah. What's happening? You got anything on you? No. All right, you're being arrested. child Can Where did my husband come? I'll explain everything to you. Is there anything in your bra? I don't think so. Who is this guy? Who's the guy that you're with? A friend of mine. What's going on? Can you place your in my car? Then I will speak to you. Come on. Take a seat. All right, I'm going to read you your Miranda, okay? You have the right to remain silent and not answer any questions. Do you understand? You have to say yes or no for my camera. >> Yes. Any statement you make must be freely and voluntarily given. Do you understand? Mhm. You got to speak up. >> Yeah. If you cannot afford a lawyer, you are entitled to the presence and representation of a court-appointed lawyer before Do you understand? No. No? No. I don't even know what happened. You left your 7-year-old and your 16-month-old baby alone. My husband was home. He was not home. He may well I want to myself. You're still going to jail. You'll just be alone get in a cell. That's what you're going to say. I'm going to be alone in a cell. Yeah, if you're suicidal, you'll be alone in a cell with no clothes to make sure you don't So you're rejecting me like mental health care. You'll get it at the jail. >> You must not have much patience with mental health, do you? What? I'm thinking like mentally like out here. Like I need to be in a hospital. >> Well. Well, what? You will get the help at jail. Well, when you get out, hopefully you continue to get help. I didn't do anything wrong. I just want to go home. I'm not trying to go to jail, dude. How many times have you been arrested? Too many times. >> For what? Some dumb [ __ ] I'm not I'm struggling. >> You got arrested for drugs? Yeah. That's not good. Do you have kids at home? I got arrested on child abuse. Like I'm not trying to do that. What did you get arrested for? Child abuse. Wow, look at that. You got a round two. Notably, the 7-year-old child shared helpful information with officers. A responsible act that reminds us how important it is for adults to make proper child care arrangements before leaving home. All right, Thomas. I just want to talk to you, okay? You want to sit? How old are you? Seven. Oh, so you're smart. What do you want to be when you get older? Firefighter like daddy? You know you're not in trouble, right? Yeah. Are you scared? No. You nervous right now? You're brave for coming to talk to me. You were at mommy's yesterday? Yeah. You have a little sister? You like having a little sister? Kind of. Kind of. So what happened at mommy's? She was like going to somewhere. I was by myself. >> you know how long you were by yourself for? 30 minutes or an hour or something. What did you do when mommy left? Did mommy tell you where she was going? I don't remember. That's okay. You don't have to remember. Were you scared when mommy left? No. You were able to take care of yourself. I know you're big. That's it. I'm done. Do you have any questions for me? >> No. You're really brave. You're a great big brother. I'll talk to you without her. The case concluded with a legal review and evaluation of temporary custody. Sorry for making you come out. >> No, it's fine. I just have to get on camera, but obviously I know she left, but just solidifies it even more for the court. She was arrested last night. I arrested her at the bar. Most likely what will happen is there's going to be some court some kind of court order prohibiting her from the children. And obviously DCF will talk to you, courts will talk to you, and you guys can take it from there. It's up to you guys, but usually for the most part the court automatically puts that in place. >> it's great that she did like the same exact thing. Yeah. Was it with him? >> He was like technically involved, but he was with me at the time. But he was with his with her other son. And he stays with you primarily for the most part? Yeah. If you have any questions, you have my number. I really appreciate you coming out again. Sorry to make you drive all the way out here. No, it's fine. The mother was later charged with child Under Florida law, this offense can result in up to 5 years in prison or probation and a fine of up to $5,000. This case is not only a legal matter, but also a reminder of the importance of child safety, emotional support, and family [music] responsibility, especially in situations involving stress or personal challenges. In all of these situations, no one truly wins. There are only a series of poor decisions with children caught in the middle forced to witness it. Regulations do not weigh whether someone was panicking. [music] They focus on actions and levels of risk. From a social perspective, what matters more is how we manage our emotions, recognize our responsibilities as parents, and uphold our duty to protect those who are most vulnerable. If you find the content we share helpful, don't forget to like, subscribe, [music] and turn on notifications to stay connected with us. See you in the next video. >> [music] [music]