Charges dropped against man accused of trying to abduct a child at a Georgia Walmart after surveillance video sows doubt

Article here. This is why men shouldn't play the protector role. He is likely to get into trouble just for being a decent human being. Excerpt:

'Charges have been dismissed against a man who was facing attempted kidnapping and other charges after a mother accused him of trying to grab her 2-year-old son from her at a Georgia Walmart, court records show.

Mahendra Patel encountered 26-year-old Caroline Miller with her two children riding a motorized cart she was driving in the March 18 incident at a Walmart in the city of Acworth, about 30 miles northwest of downtown Atlanta. He asked her for help to find Tylenol, his lawyer says. Miller alleged Patel then grabbed her 2-year-old son from her, but that she pulled the child back.

Patel’s lawyer, however, says surveillance videos prove he was just trying to make sure the boy didn’t fall from the scooter, which they said had just clipped a store display.

Patel was held in a Cobb County jail for 45 days after he was indicted on April 3 by a grand jury on charges of criminal attempt to commit kidnapping, simple assault and simple battery.

He was released on a $10,000 bond in early May after his lawyer, Ashleigh Merchant, presented her case as to why he should be released by showing the judge a compilation of security footage she subpoenaed from Walmart and shared with media outlets, including CNN.

It was the security footage that drew public attention to the case and prompted over 90,000 people to sign a petition declaring his innocence and calling for his release.'