A three-year-old father in Georgia was arrested after McDonald’s unattended child left the child while attending a nearby job interview.
Chris Louis, 24, reportedly walked with his children (1, 6 and 10 years old) from their apartment to Augusta’s fast food restaurant before 4:30 pm on March 22, according to Augusta Press.
When Louis was away, the children stayed in the restaurant, which had an indoor play area. A client in question noticed Louis left, briefly returned to check his child, then left again, and contacted the authorities.
Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies arrived and found that the children were not hurt but were not accompanied. They remained in the restaurant under police supervision until his father returned before 6:20 pm, when officials faced him.
Louis, who does not own a car, told police he left his children at McDonald’s to avoid getting them home during an interview.
Their mother later arrived and took the child home, while Louis was arrested and charged with deprivation of the minor.
The arrests have attracted widespread attention online, including former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown.
“I was surprised by the story. A dad was just trying to find a way to make money for his family. I know he shouldn’t just leave his kids, but some people don’t have the means of nanny, etc.”
Brown, 36, said he has not spoken to Louis but hopes to do so. He set up a fundraising campaign to assist his struggling father, ensuring that all proceeds will be handed over to him directly.
Brown posted Brown on X. The six-year-old father also personally donated $1,000 to the fundraising event.
The GoFundMe campaign, launched Tuesday night, has raised more than $28,000 in its first five hours.
The arrest sparked debate across social media, with many users sympathizing with Louis.
One X user commented: “You can’t leave your kids at all, I know how this happened. But there are a lot of problems.”
Another added: “Yes, this is a 1-year-old, but Dude is trying to get a job. Give him a break.”
“I know it’s a desperate situation, the brother made a mistake, but an understandable situation. All he can think of is hope for work,” a third user shared.
Another comment read: “The guys are actually doing everything he can with everything he has. I appreciate it for that. It’s not easy.”
