LaGrange mother accused of abandoning special-needs child arrested
LaGrange woman arrested for leaving child with special-needs locked in room
Police said a mother accused of leaving her child with special needs home alone for several days has been arrested. Kathleen Swanton was arrested in Bartow County, Georgia and is awaiting transportation to the Troup County Jail. Swanton is facing multiple charges, including first-degree cruelty to children (FVA), abandonment, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and three counts of false imprisonment.
LAGRANGE, Ga. - A LaGrange woman is facing multiple felony charges after allegedly abandoning her special-needs child and leaving the child locked in a bedroom, according to the LaGrange Police Department.
What we know:
Officers responded to a welfare check at a residence on Sunset Street around 5:40 p.m. on July 28. Upon arrival, they found that Kathleen Swanton had allegedly confined her special-needs child to a bedroom and left the home days earlier, leaving other family members to discover the child alone.
Kathleen Swanton. Photo courtesy of LaGrange Police Department.
An initial investigation revealed that Swanton left the residence on July 25, taking her two other children with her and leaving the special-needs child behind. Authorities believe she has been missing since that date.
The Criminal Investigations Division is now handling the case, and arrest warrants have been issued for Swanton. She faces charges including:
- Cruelty to Children in the First Degree (Family Violence Act)
- Abandonment
- Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor
- Three counts of False Imprisonment (FVA-related)
Swanson was arrested on Wednesday by the Bartow County Sheriff's Office, after LaGrange police said they had been searching for her since Monday.
What's next:
She will be transferred to the Troup County Jail.