FANNIN COUNTY, Ga. — A Georgia mother who was arrested after her 10-year-old son walked alone into town has gained widespread backing, including from a national parental rights group, ParentsUSA.
Brittany Patterson, charged with reckless conduct on Oct. 30, continues to fight her case. Recently, ParentsUSA filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court, aligning her situation with that of other parents facing scrutiny over child supervision.
The case centers on Patterson's son, Soren, who walked less than a mile from their Fannin County home to a gas station while she was attending to another child. Deputies returned the boy home and later arrested Patterson, citing her alleged lack of concern for her son’s safety.
Patterson has refused to sign a sheriff's office safety plan requiring her children to remain under constant supervision, arguing that it infringes on her parental rights.
“This is not right. I did nothing wrong,” she said, vowing to fight the charge.
ParentsUSA, in a Thanksgiving update, called her arrest an example of government overreach. They claimed that the statute under which Patterson was charged was declared unconstitutional by the Georgia Supreme Court in 1997 because it was too vague.
The case has sparked a national debate over parenting styles and government interference. Online fundraisers for Patterson have raised over $62,000 toward a $75,000 goal.