FANNIN COUNTY, Ga. — The charges against a north Georgia mother accused of letting her 10-year-old son walk to the store alone are being dismissed, according to a court filing shared with Channel 2 Action News by her attorney.
Brittany Patterson, of Fannin County, was booked on suspicion of reckless conduct, a charge that could carry a sentence of one year in jail.
A court filing dated Feb. 7 says that after reviewing body camera footage, witness statements and more, District Attorney Frank Wood’s office decided to dismiss the warrant against Patterson.
“The State will not be moving forward with the prosecution of this case at this time,” the warrant dismissal order reads.
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Channel 2 Action News obtained body camera footage of the moment deputies knocked on Patterson’s door and took her into custody Oct. 30.
Patterson says she took one of her children to the doctor and during that time, her then-10-year-old son walked less than a mile to the store without her permission.
While out, she got a call that deputies were worried about him walking alone.
“I wasn’t, you know, panicking or concerned, because it’s just a short walk from our house. He knows how to get home; he knows how to get there,” Patterson told the deputy. “Anytime I checked it wasn’t illegal for a kid to walk to the store.”
“It is when they’re 10 years old,” the deputy responded.
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David DeLugas, an attorney representing Patterson, says this doesn’t mean the charges against his client are dropped for good.
He told Channel 2 Action News via email that because Patterson was charged with a misdemeanor, Georgia law says she can be prosecuted for that charge within two years of the commission of the alleged crime.
Channel 2 Action News reached out to Wood for comment but has not yet heard back.
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