Mother charged with child cruelty for dragging toddler through Atlanta's airport
Mother reported postpartum depression after allegedly dragging son on Atlanta airport floor, Atlanta officials say
Airport staffers at Atlanta's Hartsfield Jackson Airport said that they witnessed a mom dragging her child on the airport floor. The mom was said to have reported postpartum depression to authorities. This incident has called the voices of a few health officials such as therapist Rae Lynn Mathis stating that the mom could have been very out of touch with what her child was going through.
ATLANTA - Airport staffers could not believe what they were seeing — a toddler on the floor — allegedly being dragged by his mother who had a child tether.
It happened Tuesday in the North Terminal at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Police were notified, but airport workers responded before officers arrived.
"Big guy, are you OK?" a male staffer asked the 2-year-old.
The little boy was not OK. His face had been bumped numerous times while his mom, who had a baby in a chest harness, kept walking.
Police charged the mother with child cruelty. But there was quite a bit more behind the bizarre episode.
The mother told police she was suffering from a condition that many moms suffer, postpartum depression.
Dr. Sharon Harley, an OBGYN, said the medical condition is the result of a hormone imbalance that happens during the first few days following the birth of a baby.
"A mother can feel disconnected from those who mean the most, her children," Dr. Harley said.
She said adding back the hormone that has been depleted is one of the ways to treat the condition.
The mother, who is not from the Atlanta area, was granted a small bond. DFACS responded to the case and is providing ongoing assistance.