After exhausting all her options, she reluctantly asked her 14-year-old daughter if she could watch Thaddeus while she went to work. The teen agreed.
During the day, Thaddeus managed to slip outside while his sister was occupied with schoolwork. He played outside for about 15 minutes before his sister realized he was gone and went to retrieve him.
Although no harm befell the child, a neighbor, concerned for his safety upon seeing him alone, called 911.
Two weeks later, the police showed up at Melissa’s doorstep and arrested her on charges of criminal reckless conduct.
In an interview with Inside Edition, Melissa shared, “It was the most mortifying and degrading day of my life.”
The police report, as reported by Little Things, focused on the potential dangers Thaddeus could have faced while outside alone, such as being kidnapped, run over, or bitten by a venomous snake.
If convicted, Melissa could be sentenced to a year in jail and slapped with a $1,000 fine.