The South Carolina mother who was arrested last week for letting her 9-year-old daughter play in the park while she worked at a McDonald’s 300 feet away has since been fired from her position at the fast-food giant.
Debra Harrell’s attorney, Robert Phillips, confirmed that the mother was let go from her position, although he did not offer any information as to why. A spokesperson from McDonald’s declined to comment, saying it is inappropriate to discuss a human resources issue.
According toThink Progress, Harrell, who was released on bond after other adults called the authorities on her, has been reunited with her daughter, Phillips added.
“Whenever there’s an allegation of a crime, and in this case the child is considered the victim even though she wasn’t harmed…allegedly perpetrated by a family member, Department of Social Services has a mandate to come in and remove the child from immediate harm,” he noted. “They were just doing what the law requires them to do.”
Harrell started letting her 9-year-old play at the park after their home was robbed and a laptop, used to engage the girl at McDonald’s while her mother worked, was stolen. She was allowed to go to the park after the incident twice, with a cell phone for emergencies.
It’s imperative to note that while childcare is an option for many, the average wage for McDonald’s employees is under $8 an hour. The organization also reports that the cost of day camp is about $300 a week and childcare for a four-year-old can be as much as $12,000 a year.
Help for people struggling to afford that cost has been declining as well, dropping by more than 30 percent in South Carolina in 2012.
And without a job to pay for childcare she could barely afford in the first place, there is no telling what Harrell and mothers like her will do in a system that has their backs against the wall.
If you are interested in donating to Harrell’s crowd funding site, click here.
SOURCE: Think Progress | PHOTO CREDIT: Handout
