Acworth Walmart kidnapping case: All charges dropped

ACWORTH, Ga. - All charges have been dropped against a man accused of attempted kidnapping in an Acworth Walmart.

Charges dropped against Mahendra Patel

What we know:

The Cobb County District Attorney entered a motion to drop the charges against Mahendra Patel on Wednesday, with the judge concurring. The entire court hearing lasted less than five minutes, and all parties were in agreement on the dismissal.

Watch the full court hearing: 

Patel addresses dropped charges

What they're saying:

After the charges were dropped, Patel spoke with FOX 5 in the courthouse. He said he was glad the case was closed. 

"It's a time for celebration. I wanted to thank Honorable Judge Gregory Poole for his wisdom and fairness on this case," Patel said. 

He also thanked his family and friends, some who surrounded him in court on Wednesday. 

"Without them, this case could not be in my favor," he said. "I was not even expecting any of this and strangers from all over the country basically were chiming in on my, my side of the story and I was. I was really shocked and surprised happily, and I cannot thank them enough."

Patel said life has been a "roller coaster" ever since he was arrested. 

"My family outside were constantly worried about me," he said. "And all the media attention we got, uh, it was very difficult, very difficult."

What they're saying:

Patel's attorney, Ashleigh Merchant, said her client should never have been charged. 

"I think what happened was there was a rush to judgment and I think the police didn't fully investigate the case," Merchant said. "I always hope police do a better job in investigating the truth. They have blinders on and only listen to one side, and miss out on the truth often."

She said she hopes everyone learned from this case. 

District Attorney on dropping charges

What they're saying:

Cobb County District Attorney Sonya F. Allen issued a statement Wednesday evening. 

It reads: "Today, the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office moved to dismiss the charges against Mahendra Patel. This decision follows a productive meeting between the involved parties, during which they were able to discuss the circumstances and impact of the case. Both Mr. Patel and Ms. Miller expressed a shared desire to move forward and put the incident behind them. The Cobb County District Attorney’s Office is pleased to have facilitated a resolution and is encouraged by the willingness of both parties to engage in a constructive dialogue. We remain committed to pursuing justice in a manner that promotes accountability, restoration, and community healing whenever possible."

Acworth Walmart incident

The backstory:

The incident occurred on March 18 at the Walmart located at 3105 Cobb Parkway.

According to investigators, Patel approached Caroline Miller inside the store and asked about Tylenol. Witnesses told police he then grabbed her child. The mother was able to pull her child away, authorities said.

Surveillance footage was used to identify and arrest Patel three days later.

Merchant disputed the allegations and released video footage she says proves her client did not commit a crime.