Connecting moms in Polk County, Fla.

Toddler's Public Potty Break Gets $2,500 Ticket, Then an Apology

Two thousand, five hundred dollars!? That's a hefty fine, and whose record is this going on, anyway? The mother is charged with indecent exposure? The child? I mean, really?

This story seems to have exploded nationally and this small town police department seems to have done an about face on the charge, dropping them, and adding a personal apology to the family. In the many, many comments generated from this story is the feeling of abuse of power by the police. Do you think this officer was being a ticket-writing-bully or just doing his job?

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Permalink Reply by MandyJay on November 7, 2012 at 10:01pm

He was an idiot. I hadn't read of the apology, but seriously, ticketing someone because a three-year-old was urinating in their own yard? Ridiculous.

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Permalink Reply by Tracy Fritchman on November 8, 2012 at 11:11am

I don't feel that officer should have given the parent a ticket but a warning. He probably should have approached her in a different manner. It does state he was peeing at the end of the driveway where I am sure people could see him. At 3 he needs to be taught he can't do this in public. Those are private parts and should stay private. What if his father joined him what difference is it other than bigger. If your going to pee in your yard make sure no one sees, that is the bottom line. Also, I feel like the mother acted as if there was nothing wrong and no law was broken. Whether your 3 or 30 it is still indecent exposure.

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Permalink Reply by MandyJay on November 8, 2012 at 12:30pm

I disagree... I think under a certain age it's just innocence. Certainly guiding a child toward respecting privacy is appropriate, but at three it's just not indecent exposure. There is a certain amount of self-knowledge required for it to be truly "indecent" and at three it simply isn't there.

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Permalink Reply by Alicia (Alsan) on November 9, 2012 at 9:29pm

I think it's ridiculous. If he was by the street and it was a problem - a simple warning would have been sufficient. Many very young children, when they have to go they HAVE TO GO NOW!! It's a teachable moment about when and where and private parts, but not indecent exposure and even public urination is extreme IMO