Dad seeks job, leaves kids at McDonald’s, gets help


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A Georgia dad faced arrest after leaving his three young children alone at a McDonald’s while he attended a job interview nearby.

The incident occurred on March 22 in Augusta, when 24-year-old Chris Louis walked with his children – ages 1, 6, and 10 – from their apartment to the fast-food restaurant, which featured an indoor play area.

According to The Augusta Press, a concerned customer noticed Louis departing the establishment, briefly returning to check on his children before leaving again. This prompted the customer to alert authorities.

When Richmond County Sheriff deputies arrived at the scene, they found the children unharmed and waiting inside the restaurant. Louis returned around 6:20 p.m., explaining to officers that without access to a vehicle, he didn’t want his children to make the walk back home while he attended his job interview.

Officers remained with Louis until the children’s mother arrived to take custody of them. Subsequently, Louis was arrested and charged with deprivation of a minor.

The story caught the attention of former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown, who took action to support the struggling father.

“Story caught me by surprise. A dad 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 for babysitting, etc,” Brown wrote on GoFundMe.

Brown, who hasn’t yet spoken with Louis but hopes to do so, established a GoFundMe campaign to ensure direct financial assistance to the father. The 36-year-old athlete contributed $1,000 himself and shared on X, “Chris was on the Pursuit of Happiness & sometimes ppl just need help.”

The fundraiser quickly gained traction, raising over $28,000 of its $50,000 goal within just five hours of its late Tuesday night launch.

The incident sparked diverse reactions online. Some social media users expressed understanding of Louis’s predicament while acknowledging the risks. “You simply can’t leave your kids like that and I get how this happened. But there are plenty of questions,” wrote one X user.

Others showed more sympathy, with comments like “Yeah, it’s a little iffy on the 1yr old, but dude was trying to get a job. Give him a break,” and “I know it’s a desperate situation and brother made a mistake but an understandable one. All he could think about was the hope of a job.”

One supporter emphasized Louis’s effort, stating, “Dude was literally doing the best he could with what he has. I commend him for that, it’s not easy.”

 

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