Police in Arkansas said they arrested and charged a woman last week after she forced her 7-year-old son to walk 8 miles to school after he missed his bus.
Craighead County Sheriff’s Office said they charged Amber Nicole Thompson, 33, with endangering the welfare of a child and domestic battery Tuesday after authorities were called about a young boy walking alone on the side of the road.
The sheriff’s office said deputies approached the boy, who confirmed he was walking to a school nearly eight miles away, according to charging documents obtained by Jonesboro Right Now.
The boy told deputies that he was instructed to set an alarm and wake himself up because his mom “wasn’t going to,” according to the documents. The boy overslept and missed the bus.
The child also told deputies that he was forced to go to bed without dinner the night before because he got in trouble. The boy said he’d get in trouble again if he missed school.
The documents said deputies returned with the child to Ms. Thompson’s home and, after getting no response from knocking, entered the house through its unlocked front door.
Authorities said they found Ms. Thompson sleeping in a room, and asked her about the boy not being fed the night before.
The documents said Ms. Thompson confirmed that was true, and she also confirmed that she told the boy to get himself up for school and to make the bus.
She told deputies that it “was not her problem” if the boy had to walk to school because he missed his ride.
Deputies arrested Ms. Thompson in her home that morning. Craighead County jail records show she is not currently behind bars.
Ms. Thompson’s next court date is May 24.