An Arkansas mother was arrested after allegedly telling deputies “it was not her problem” that her 7-year-old son had to walk nearly 8 miles in the pitch dark after missing the school bus.
The 33-year-old woman was charged with second-degree domestic battery and first-degree endangering the welfare of a minor under 10 years old, according to Craighead County jail records.
The boy was found near a farm shop around 8 a.m. on Tuesday by a responding Craighead County deputy, KAIT reported. The boy told the deputy that he would get in trouble if he did not go to school, so he decided to walk after missing the bus, the Jonesboro, Arkansas-based TV station said.
While talking to the deputy, the boy said he “got in trouble” the night before so his mother forced him to go to sleep without dinner, according to KAIT.
USA TODAY contacted the Craighead County Sheriff’s Office but did not receive an immediate response Thursday.
Why did the 7-year-old boy get ‘in trouble?’
The child got in trouble because his mother told him to watch his 2-year-old brother, but at some point, he got distracted, according to an affidavit obtained by KAIT.
The boy was then sent to bed by his mother who told him to set his alarm so he could get himself up and ready for school because “she wasn’t going to,” the affidavit said, KAIT reported.
When the boy began walking to school, it was dark and he hadn’t eaten breakfast, according to the affidavit, KAIT said. The child’s home is about 7.5 miles from his school, the TV station added.
After speaking to the child, the deputy spoke to the 911 caller who told him he couldn’t contact the boy’s mother, according to KAIT. The deputy then drove the boy back home where he encountered his mother asleep in one of the home’s bedrooms, the TV station said.
Mother woke up to the Craighead County deputy, her 7-year-old son
Once the mother woke up, she confirmed everything her son told the deputy and said the boy was old enough to watch his 2-year-old brother and get himself ready for school, KAIT said. While speaking to the deputy, the mother said “it was not her problem” if her child had to walk to school, according to the affidavit, the TV station reported.
The deputies took the boy’s mother to jail, and then the deputy returned to the home with the Arkansas Department of Human Services. While speaking to the other children in the home, authorities noticed “numerous bruises” on a 3-year-old’s body, the affidavit said, KAIT reported.
When the 3-year-old’s father spoke to the deputy, he admitted to spanking the toddler for lying on March 31 but added that he was not aware of the bruises, the KAIT said. The father then said he was told the youngest brother hit the 3-year-old with a plastic bat, according to the affidavit, the TV station reported.
The boy’s mother was released on Wednesday after posting a $50,000 bond, according to Craighead County jail records.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Arkansas mom made son to walk 8 miles to school, charged with battery
