Georgia
Georgia dad arrested for leaving young kids at McDonald’s to attend job interview — ex-NFL star Antonio Brown vows to help family: report
A Georgia father of three was arrested for leaving his young children unattended at a McDonald’s to go to a nearby interview.
Chris Louis, 24, allegedly walked with his three kids from his apartment to the restaurant in Augusta just before 4:30 p.m. on March 22, according to The Augusta Press.
The youngsters – ages 1, 6 and 10 – spent their time alone in the restaurant, which has an indoor play area attached to the dining room.
Louis was seen leaving the fast food joint, returning shortly after to check on his kids before leaving again, a worried customer told police, the outlet reported.
Richmond County Sheriff deputies arrived at the restaurant and located the unharmed, unaccompanied minors, who remained inside the store until their father returned.
Louis arrived back at the McDonald’s just before 6:20 p.m., where police confronted him for leaving his children alone in public.
Louis, who doesn’t own a car, told police he left his children behind because he didn’t want them to walk back to his home as he went to the interview, the outlet reported.
Police waited inside with Louis until the children’s mom arrived to take her kids home.
Louis was arrested and charged with deprivation of a minor.
The news of Louis’ arrest got the attention of former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown.
“Story caught me by surprise. A dad just trying to find a way to make money for his family. I know he shouldn’t just leave his kids, but some people don’t have the means for babysitting, etc,” Brown wrote on GoFundMe.
Brown says he hasn’t spoken to Louis yet but has hopes to talk with the father.
The 36-year-old claims said set up the fundraiser with the help of GoFundMe to ensure the money would go directly to Louis.
“Chris was on the Pursuit of Happiness & sometimes ppl just need help,” Brown wrote on X.
The father of six has donated $1,000 himself.
The fundraiser created late Tuesday night has raised over $28,000 of the $50,000 goal in the first five hours.
The arrest divided the internet on Louis’ situation.
“You simply can’t leave your kids like that and I get how this happened. But there are plenty of questions,” one X user commented.
“Yeah, it’s a little iffy on the 1yr old, but dude was trying to get a job. Give him a break,” a second user said.
“I know it’s a desperate situation and brother made a mistake but an understandable one. All he could think about was the hope of a job,” a fourth added.
“Dude was literally doing the best he could with what he has. I commend him for that, it’s not easy,” another comment said.
As temperatures rise across Georgia, cooling costs are also expected to climb this summer. The Georgia Public Service Commission is set to hear one of Georgia Power’s proposed agreements aimed at saving customers money on their power bills.
Georgia Power says its proposed agreements could save the typical customer about $4 a month if approved by the commission.
The proposals involve two separate cases before the PSC. One focuses on fuel costs used to operate power plants, while the second deals with storm recovery costs tied to Hurricane Helene.
Georgia Power and the PSC’s Public Interest Advocacy Staff recently reached agreements in both cases. If approved, the company says the typical residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours per month could save about $4.04 per month or nearly $50 per year beginning in June.
The proposal comes as a new national report from the National Energy Assistance Directors Association and the Center for Energy Poverty and Climate projects cooling costs could rise about 8.5% nationwide this year. The report says hotter temperatures and increased energy demand are helping drive costs higher.
Reliable Heating and Air said it is already seeing an increase in service calls across metro Atlanta as more people start using their air conditioning systems.
HVAC experts said homeowners should watch for warning signs, including strange noises, weak airflow, homes cooling slowly or higher-than-normal power bills.
“Biggest mistake they make is not getting a system maintenance,” said Joshua Kelly with Reliable Heating and Air. “A lot of people feel like, ‘Oh no, I don’t have to get maintenance,’ but you most definitely do.”
Experts recommend changing air filters regularly, scheduling maintenance checks, keeping thermostats between 74 and 77 degrees on hot days and addressing airflow problems early.
Resources for Georgia families needing help with cooling costs:
- Georgia LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) — Helps eligible low-income households pay heating and cooling bills and may assist during energy emergencies.
- United Way 211 — Connects families with local resources, including utility assistance programs, emergency financial help and community services.
- Partnership for Community Action — Offers utility assistance, energy support programs and other services for eligible families in metro Atlanta.
- Local Community Action Agencies — Many agencies across Georgia provide emergency utility assistance, payment support and additional family resources during extreme heat and high energy demand periods.
ATLANTA – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Emory University Hospital are monitoring two Georgia residents following a hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship that resulted in three deaths.
Atlanta hospital monitoring
What we know:
A couple returned to Georgia last week and was moved Monday to Emory University Hospital for specialized monitoring. One of the passengers showed mild symptoms of the virus but has since tested negative. Both individuals were passengers on the MV Hondius, a ship where the Andes variant of hantavirus was identified.
The CDC confirmed the patients are being kept in a biocontainment unit designed for highly infectious diseases. Doctors at Emory said one individual is receiving treatment while the other is being monitored, though they emphasize there is no risk to the general public.
Monitoring and travel status
What we don’t know:
Health officials have not confirmed if the passengers will be cleared to leave the hospital or return home before a 42-day period is over. While one test was negative, authorities have not said how many additional tests or how much more observation time is needed before the couple is fully cleared. The exact names and ages of the Georgia residents have not been released due to privacy concerns.
Cruise ship outbreak
The backstory:
The outbreak began in April on the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius during a voyage from Argentina. Nine cases have been confirmed and three people died after the virus spread, likely through human-to-human transmission of the Andes strain. This specific strain is known for causing Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, a severe respiratory illness.
Low public risk
Big picture view:
While the Andes variant is serious, the CDC and World Health Organization assess the risk to the general public as low. The virus typically spreads through close contact with bodily fluids or respiration rather than everyday social contact. Federal and state health departments are using established protocols to manage the repatriation and monitoring of the 18 Americans who were on the ship.
The Source: Information for this story was gathered from FOX 5 reporter Kevyn Stewart, who attended a news conference with the CDC and Emory University Hospital, as well as official statements from the Georgia Department of Public Health and the World Health Organization.
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