Erin Menefee arrested for leaving children on the street
15 october 2026 в 06:13
A deacon of the church, Erin Menefee, has been arrested in Georgia for allegedly dropping off four children from a bus and leaving them on the side of the road due to their misbehavior, according to police. He faces four counts of reckless conduct in connection with the incident that occurred on October 11.
According to the Albany police, the incident came to light when a woman contacted law enforcement, claiming that her three children—ages 12, 11, and 9, along with their 10-year-old friend—were ejected from the church bus at a busy intersection of Westover Boulevard and Gillionville Road, about 4 miles from their home. When the children did not return home, the mother began searching for them and was able to track down the bus.
Menefee, 42, told the mother in a conversation that he had dropped the children off nearby. However, when she was unable to find them, she drove to the church to speak with the pastor. During this time, a relative informed her that Menefee had said he kicked the children off due to their swearing and fighting, adding that he «does not tolerate such behavior».
The children were eventually found by a passerby, who took them home. Later, Menefee confessed to the police that he had left the children at the intersection, explaining that there were 20 children on the bus and he decided to drop off the misbehaving ones for the safety of the others. He also admitted that he should have waited for a relative before leaving.
After his arrest, Menefee was placed in the Dougherty County Jail but was soon released on bail. It is currently unclear whether he has entered a plea or hired an attorney. The Albany police have not yet responded to a request for comments on the case.
According to the Albany police, the incident came to light when a woman contacted law enforcement, claiming that her three children—ages 12, 11, and 9, along with their 10-year-old friend—were ejected from the church bus at a busy intersection of Westover Boulevard and Gillionville Road, about 4 miles from their home. When the children did not return home, the mother began searching for them and was able to track down the bus.
Menefee, 42, told the mother in a conversation that he had dropped the children off nearby. However, when she was unable to find them, she drove to the church to speak with the pastor. During this time, a relative informed her that Menefee had said he kicked the children off due to their swearing and fighting, adding that he «does not tolerate such behavior».
The children were eventually found by a passerby, who took them home. Later, Menefee confessed to the police that he had left the children at the intersection, explaining that there were 20 children on the bus and he decided to drop off the misbehaving ones for the safety of the others. He also admitted that he should have waited for a relative before leaving.
After his arrest, Menefee was placed in the Dougherty County Jail but was soon released on bail. It is currently unclear whether he has entered a plea or hired an attorney. The Albany police have not yet responded to a request for comments on the case.
© Puhova Marina
