Most parents in Virginia will protect their children at any cost. So, when one Virginia mother became concerned that her child was being targeted by bullies, she took action. However, her response, carried out with her nine-year-old child’s best interests at heart, has landed her in legal hot water.
The mother is facing felony charges after she allegedly placed a digital recording device in her child’s backpack. Reportedly, the mother did so back in September in order to capture evidence that her daughter was being targeted by bullies at her elementary school, and that no actions were being taken to get her daughter out of that situation. The mother reports that her child’s school did not answer her phone calls regarding the situation or reply to the emails she sent.
Eventually, the recording device was discovered, and her child was placed in another class. Now the mother is facing charges of felony use of a device to intercept oral communication. She is also facing misdemeanor charges of contributing to a minor’s delinquency. She could be imprisoned for up to five years if convicted. The mother maintains she was only trying to protect her child. The school has not commented on the situation so far.
This mother went from taking what she thought were the best actions she could to help her child, to facing serious criminal charges. A felony conviction could affect her rights and land her in jail for several years. Moreover, a conviction could result in a criminal record that might majorly affect her life even after she has finished her sentence. Those in situations like this may feel like they did the right thing, but they need to understand that being charged with a felony is a serious matter. Those who are facing what they believe are false allegations may thus want to seek the legal advice they need to make informed decisions on how to proceed.
Source: Fox News, “Virginia mom charged after sending daughter to school with device to record alleged bullying,” Nicole Darrah, Nov. 22, 2017