A Tennessee mother made her kids walk to school as punishment for missing the bus and now faces child neglect charges, cops say.
A Tennessee mother faces child neglect charges for making her daughters walk to school, authorities said.
Lisa Marie Palmer, 32, forced her two young daughters to walk along a busy highway while she drove her gold Cadillac along the shoulder, said Marion County Sheriff’s deputies.
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Palmer told authorities she was punishing her children for missing the school bus, deputies said.
Deputy Chris Ladd’s March 1 arrest report said it appeared Palmer was “driving ahead of the children and allowing them to walk and catch up to her vehicle and to proceed with that action until the children reached the school,” the Chattanooga Times Free-Press reported.
“Temperatures were cold, and traffic was beginning to become heavy with citizens heading to work. Mrs. Palmer was in no position to reach her children safely in the event of an emergency,” Ladd’s report said.
Read: Special Needs Student Left On School Bus, Forced to Hitchhike 30 Miles Home ... Twice
The children had already walked about a mile and a half, and had two more miles to go, the deputy said.
Palmer was cited for child neglect and for driving without a license.
Her initial court appearance is scheduled for April 18. Court officials say she does not have an attorney yet, The Associated Press reported.
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