The actions of Marion Luise Stade, a 61-year-old mother from Texas, have shocked citizens across the United States. On May 2, deputies with the Archer County Sheriff’s Office received a call from someone who reported witnessing Stade dragging her juvenile son with a seatbelt tied around him while they were in a vehicle on the side of Highway 79 South. Thinking it was a misunderstanding, the deputy cleared the call to the sheriff’s office after the woman’s son apologized.
But the story didn’t end there. A short while later, Archer County Sheriff Jack Curd received a text message with horrifying footage of the incident. The video apparently showed Stade driving as her son was forced to run alongside the car, where he clung to the side of the vehicle with his feet lifted up off the ground as the car continued to move. Despite her vehement denial earlier, Stade later admitted to the deputy that she “had to do something to control him” said the court documents.
Although Stade was released the next day, her misdemeanor charge of child endangerment sends a clear message that such reckless behavior is intolerable. The incident stands as a stern warning that parents should never resort to such extreme measures to discipline a child. It displays the danger of negligence and highlights the need to exercise caution in such matters.