A Roswell mom, Ruth Parada, was arrested for allegedly locking her kids out in the cold and rain, reports the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The incident occurred at the Belcourt Apartments off Belcourt Parkway. The kids locked out in the rain were aged 9 and 11.
"They were only wearing pajamas and no shoes, and it was cold and raining outside," Officer Lisa Holland, Roswell police spokeswoman, told WSBTV.
The mother, Ruth Parada, has been charged with two counts of misdemeanor reckless conduct. According to reports, the police were alerted through the neighbors.
The researchers at FindLaw have put together a useful chart that details Georgia's child abuse laws.
Georgia is among the many states that has stringent child abuse laws. For example, one of the important ways in which Georgia Law tries to limit child abuse is by stipulating a mandatory reporting of child abuse in Georgia. As such, physicians, hospital personnel, dentists, psychologists, nurses, social workers, counselors, school teachers/officials, child welfare agency and child service organization personnel, law enforcement personnel, podiatrists, all have to report child abuse to the authorities.
As you can see, neighbors are not mandatory reporters of child abuse; but when they do act in cases like this, it can be helpful.
In those cases where a parent gets identified as the person committing the abuse, not only can there be criminal charges brought (as here), but it may lead to Child Protective Service's involvement, too. This can have significant effect on whether you are able to retain custody over your children, so it is advisable not to let matters get this far.
Related Resources:
- Find an Atlanta Family Law attorney (FindLaw)
- Mother Accused of Locking Kids Outside in Pajamas (WSBTV)
- Class Action for Parents Jailed for Failure to Pay Child Support (FindLaw's Atlanta Family Law Blog)
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