Mary Johnson, 28, was arrested Monday afternoon in Murfreesboro on charges of public intoxication and child abuse and neglect.MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -
A 28-year-old Murfreesboro mother was arrested Monday after police said she was drunk when she tried to pick up her 21-month-old daughter from daycare.
Murfreesboro police responded to Cason Lane Children's Center located at 930 Cason Lane around 4:30 p.m. after an employee reported Mary Johnson was in the parking lot "acting strange" and later fell out of a chair while holding the baby in her lap.
The responding officer reported Johnson smelled of alcohol, was unsteady on her feet and had slurred speech and red, watery eyes, according to the Murfreesboro police arrest report.
Johnson refused treatment and during questioning denied having any alcohol to drink.
She was taken into custody without incident and booked into the Rutherford County jail on charges of public intoxication and child abuse and neglect.
Nashville's News 2 attempted to reach Johnson at the address listed on the police report, but instead a man answered the door and declined to speak on camera.
He told Nashville's News 2, he and Johnson were in a relationship but he is not the child's father.
The man claimed Johnson has been struggling with different issues, but had been sober for five months. He said he believes she is a good mother.
Several parents of children at Cason Lane Children's Center were concerned about Johnson's behavior.
"Me, being a mom, I would never put myself in a situation that would endanger my child, but it's very scary and I would just love to ask her why and see what is going on in her mind," Angel McClearen told Nashville's News 2.
Another parent, Frank Carpenter added, "A parent would try to do everything they could to try to protect their child and driving intoxicated and picking them up while you've been drinking is not a good idea, absolutely not."
The owner of Cason Lane Children's Center declined an interview with Nashville's News 2, but said the director of the center and assistant director did the right thing by calling 911.
Johnson has since been released on a $5,250 bond.
She is scheduled to appear in court in April.
The child remains in the care of a family member.
