It was dinnertime on October 30, 2024, when police handcuffed Brittany Patterson in front of three of her four children and drove her to the station in
While I’m a big parental rights fan I actually tentatively am siding with the state on this one.
Patterson had driven her eldest son to a medical appointment. Her youngest son, 11-year-old Soren, intended to come along but wasn’t around when it was time to leave.
It’s one thing to intentionally raise your child in a free-range way, I think that should be allowed to a certain degree. It’s a completely different thing to neglect your child by driving away from your home after you can’t find him at the house and you don’t know where he is.
When I had my small children this summer they were freaking out that it was a 1.2 mile hike to the creek. FFS, we started elementary gym class with a mile run, every, single day.
Don’t know where I’m going with this. Must be an old man, “Everyone’s a pussy now days”.
Same(ish). Half mile walk to and from school every morning. I was in kindergarten. I was escorted a few times to teach me the route. By 5th grade I was occasionally riding bike or walking 3 miles across town.
My parents brag about how they had no car seats and THEY survived. So I guess I should have listened to my dad’s impatience and not put it in the car before going somewhere with our newborn?
I remember biking all over as a kid. I didn’t tell my parents where I was going. Might head off into the bluffs or to the shopping center or to a friend’s house or to a convenience store or along some bike trails. I sure went further than a mile.
And we didn’t have cell phones or whatever back then either.
It is not. Why would you need to track your almost-teen 24/7? It wouldn’t be child neglect even if the kid was 6. They’re more than old enough to go on spontaneous exploring.
Trump voter believes in small government. Also that the state should be able to legally compel you to electronically track your children and that 11-year-olds shouldn’t be able to walk around outside without constant surveillance and sides with parents being arrested for allowing it. Believes “some” parental freedom should be “allowed.”
I just rolled my eyes so hard I gave myself a headache.
Because the person who said those things and to whom I’m responding is the “Trump voter” I specifically referenced? In case the fact that I’m directly responding to their comment and they’re the OP of this post didn’t make it clear enough for you.
First grade starts at 6 in North America, 5 if your born late in the year, kindergarten and pre k might get you as early as 4, but this kid was 10 that 5th and 4th grade, my parents wanted me out and about as much as possible at that age, just being home at dark and for dinner.
I actually get where you’re coming from here regarding not knowing where the kid is and then leaving to go somewhere else. I am a parent of a 10 year old.
I disagree with the state getting involved at all beyond giving the kid a ride to the appointment or back home and talking to the mom with a warning.
The kid should’ve just stayed home and waited instead of going off on his own to where they were because they might’ve gotten done and gone home and missed each other.
Edit: And read the story in full. Less than a mile away? Oof, yeah, that’s nothing. My kid rides his bike or walks around our neighborhood, a suburb of Chicago, and has gone that far or further without my wife and I worrying.
Let me know when you have kids also reflect on how you grew up. We would ride our bikes like miles and also explore the creek and surrounding areas as kids in Ohio. I hope to raise my child in a similar way when she is old enough to explore the area where I live now….
I don’t know if I’m instantly ready to side with the state, but none of the signs are there to think this is some intentional abuse of power. She’s a white realtor in a bright red rural county. Unless the cop was some sitcom import straight from “The People’s Gaypublic of California” I have to think they saw something that hit them wrong to drill down through the various layers of privilege. I admit I have a sort of reflexive concern about reason.com as a source, as well. Sometimes it’s sensible, but often it’s just a wankfest for so-called libertarians who have read Ayn Rand and a couple of Austrian-school economics articles.
For Brittany here, I would want to know what she actually told the cop, what her older son said in his interview, what the state of the road is (possibly no sidewalks?), and just generally if there’s a pattern of neglect. They haven’t even decided if they’ll press charges yet, while they play chicken over the signature thing. If they do, here’s the statute:
A person who causes bodily harm to or endangers the bodily safety of another person by consciously disregarding a substantial and unjustifiable risk that his or her act or omission will cause harm or endanger the safety of the other person and the disregard constitutes a gross deviation from the standard of care which a reasonable person would exercise in the situation is guilty of a misdemeanor.
While I’m a big parental rights fan I actually tentatively am siding with the state on this one.
It’s one thing to intentionally raise your child in a free-range way, I think that should be allowed to a certain degree. It’s a completely different thing to neglect your child by driving away from your home after you can’t find him at the house and you don’t know where he is.
Lmao. Less than 1 mile? I walked twice that every day to school since I was 7
When I had my small children this summer they were freaking out that it was a 1.2 mile hike to the creek. FFS, we started elementary gym class with a mile run, every, single day.
Don’t know where I’m going with this. Must be an old man, “Everyone’s a pussy now days”.
Yeah, it’s the distance that makes this. I walked a mile to elementary school and back since I was six.
Same(ish). Half mile walk to and from school every morning. I was in kindergarten. I was escorted a few times to teach me the route. By 5th grade I was occasionally riding bike or walking 3 miles across town.
Yo I might not be old enough to say this but it was like 5 miles for me who lived out in the country and uphill both fucking ways!
This is a serious affront to freedom.
My parents brag about how they had no car seats and THEY survived. So I guess I should have listened to my dad’s impatience and not put it in the car before going somewhere with our newborn?
Cars are demonstrably far more dangerous
This kid in the story was walking around where demonstrably dangerous cars could hit him.
What are we arguing here?
Yes but it’s not like your parents had no idea where you were and took no action to find you. This is textbook neglect, not intentional parenting.
You’re really stretching this.
I remember biking all over as a kid. I didn’t tell my parents where I was going. Might head off into the bluffs or to the shopping center or to a friend’s house or to a convenience store or along some bike trails. I sure went further than a mile.
And we didn’t have cell phones or whatever back then either.
I don’t feel that I was neglected.
It is not. Why would you need to track your almost-teen 24/7? It wouldn’t be child neglect even if the kid was 6. They’re more than old enough to go on spontaneous exploring.
11 year old pre-teen? He’s not a baby that requires constant supervision
From school close to when the street lights came on my parents had zero idea where I was.
I was usually within 20km of home on my bike. Usually.
Trump voter believes in small government. Also that the state should be able to legally compel you to electronically track your children and that 11-year-olds shouldn’t be able to walk around outside without constant surveillance and sides with parents being arrested for allowing it. Believes “some” parental freedom should be “allowed.”
I just rolled my eyes so hard I gave myself a headache.
You think this sort of government abuse is championed by conservatives?! How the fuck do you conclude that?!
Because the person who said those things and to whom I’m responding is the “Trump voter” I specifically referenced? In case the fact that I’m directly responding to their comment and they’re the OP of this post didn’t make it clear enough for you.
Because it happened in the state of Georgia, the state building a literal Police City?
Who gives half a shit that a ten year old is alone in their own home?!
Not me 🤷🏾♂️
If a kid is old enough to go to school its old enough to walk to places or stay home alone
Three year olds go to school…
Edit: Getting down voted when I have a 3 year old of my own who goes to school every day for the full day.
First grade starts at 6 in North America, 5 if your born late in the year, kindergarten and pre k might get you as early as 4, but this kid was 10 that 5th and 4th grade, my parents wanted me out and about as much as possible at that age, just being home at dark and for dinner.
I too live in North America, and my currently 3 year old goes to kindergarten every day for the full day.
I actually get where you’re coming from here regarding not knowing where the kid is and then leaving to go somewhere else. I am a parent of a 10 year old.
I disagree with the state getting involved at all beyond giving the kid a ride to the appointment or back home and talking to the mom with a warning.
The kid should’ve just stayed home and waited instead of going off on his own to where they were because they might’ve gotten done and gone home and missed each other.
Edit: And read the story in full. Less than a mile away? Oof, yeah, that’s nothing. My kid rides his bike or walks around our neighborhood, a suburb of Chicago, and has gone that far or further without my wife and I worrying.
Let me know when you have kids also reflect on how you grew up. We would ride our bikes like miles and also explore the creek and surrounding areas as kids in Ohio. I hope to raise my child in a similar way when she is old enough to explore the area where I live now….
I don’t know if I’m instantly ready to side with the state, but none of the signs are there to think this is some intentional abuse of power. She’s a white realtor in a bright red rural county. Unless the cop was some sitcom import straight from “The People’s Gaypublic of California” I have to think they saw something that hit them wrong to drill down through the various layers of privilege. I admit I have a sort of reflexive concern about reason.com as a source, as well. Sometimes it’s sensible, but often it’s just a wankfest for so-called libertarians who have read Ayn Rand and a couple of Austrian-school economics articles.
For Brittany here, I would want to know what she actually told the cop, what her older son said in his interview, what the state of the road is (possibly no sidewalks?), and just generally if there’s a pattern of neglect. They haven’t even decided if they’ll press charges yet, while they play chicken over the signature thing. If they do, here’s the statute: