Sad but true, this mom made her kids walk for more than three miles to school in blistering cold and is now facing child neglect charges. At the time of this event, the mother was driving her gold Cadillac in front of them.
Fox News reported that 32-year-old Lisa Palmer let her kids walk to school while driving ahead of them as a punishment for missing the bus. Her daughters, both less than 10, were walking with a dog on Valley View Highway in Marion County when Chris Ladd, a sheriff deputy, saw them.
Ladd said that he noticed the gold Cadillac about 50 yards away from the kids, Parenting recounted. Apparently, Palmer was driving ahead and would stop after a considerable distance to allow her two daughters to catch up with her. Based on the circumstances, it would seem that Palmer intended to do it until her daughters reach their school.
Parenting mentioned that the nationally accepted definition of child neglect is "Any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker, which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse, or exploitation, or an act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm."
Going by the definition, the officer must have considered the act of Palmer as something that could potentially endanger her daughters. According to Ladd, the temperatures were already cold and traffic was starting to become heavy considering that many people were already heading for work. He added that in case of an emergency, the distance between Palmer and her children, makes it highly improbable for her to reach them.
Aside from child neglect, Palmer was also charged with driving without a license. Her husband and father also arrived at the scene. Her father even referred to the officer as the cop who beat him up previously.
The Tennessee Department of Children's Services are investigating the incident. Palmer on the other hand is due to appear in court on April 18.
