Glamorous Georgia mom's Walmart child abduction story 'blown apart' by shocking new video
Newly released security camera footage has disproven a mother's claim that a man tried to snatch her two-year-old son while at a Walmart in Georgia, according to the accused's attorney.
Caroline Miller was shopping with her son, Jude, and her four-year-old daughter inside the Walmart in Acworth last month when she alleged that 56-year-old Mahendra Patel tried to distract her by asking where to find Tylenol and used the moment to kidnap her son.
He was arrested three days after the incident and has been held at Cobb County Jail for nearly a month, facing charges of attempted kidnapping, assault and battery.
However, Patel's attorney, Ashleigh Merchant, shared surveillance video she claims 'proves her client is innocent', describing him as a 'friendly older gentleman' simply buying Tylenol for his elderly mother.
'He's being friendly. This is a friendly older gentleman trying to help people, asking for help at the Walmart,' Merchant told WSB-TV Atlanta 2 News.
'This kidnapping of a minor bell was rung,' she added. 'Once that bell is rung, it's really hard to unring it. It's really hard to get that back and get a bond.'
On March 18, while finishing up her shopping at the large retailer, Miller was navigating the aisles on a motorized scooter - her daughter situated at her feet and her son seated in her lap - when the device broke down in the pharmacy aisle.
It was at that moment, she claimed, that Patel approached her and her children, asking for help finding the pain medication.
Newly released CCTV footage disproved Caroline Miller's claims that a man tried to snatch her two-year-old son, Jude, while the family shopped at a Walmart in Acworth, Georgia, last month (pictured: Caroline Miller)
Caroline Miller was shopping with her son and her four-year-old daughter when she alleged that 56-year-old Mahendra Patel tried to distract her by asking where to find Tylenol, ultimately using the moment to kidnap her son before he gave up and 'fled' the store (pictured: Miller's son, Jude)
Patel's attorney, Ashleigh Merchant, shared surveillance video she claims 'proves her client is innocent', describing Patel as a 'friendly older gentleman' who simply needed help locating the pain medication for his elderly mother (pictured: Patel walking into the store)
When Miller momentarily released one arm from around Jude, she alleged that Patel tried to take advantage of the moment and attempted to grab her son from her lap.
'When I pointed my arm out this way to say this is where it was, that is when he reached down, put both of his hands on Jude, and grabbed him out of my lap,' Miller told WSB-TV last month.
The mother claimed she immediately fought back and tried to free her toddler from Patel's grip after realizing his intentions, describing the altercation as a 'tug of war' between them.
'This video is very clear that did not happen,' Merchant told the outlet, seemingly debunking what Miller has claimed throughout the process.
In the footage shared to WSB-TV, Patel walked into the Walmart and crossed paths with the mother, whom he then asked for help in locating the Tylenol - a detail that both Miller and Merchant agree happened.
Miller could then be seen pointing Patel toward the direction of some aisles in the distance while the motorized scooter gradually inched forward. As she moved, Patel leaned forward.
At that moment, Miller alleged, Patel attempted to pick up her son, leading to a struggle between the pair as they 'tug of warred' over the child.
The store's security footage, however, appeared to tell a very different story - showing no clear signs of a struggle between Patel and Miller, but rather a seemingly friendly interaction between two strangers.
Miller claimed that Patel approached her and her children and asked for help finding the pain medication before he leaned forward and tried to kidnap her son sitting on her lap - describing the altercation as a 'tug of war' for the child - but CCTV showed no clear signs of a struggle
Patel was arrested three days after the incident and has been held at Cobb County Jail for nearly a month, facing charges of attempted kidnapping, assault and battery
At one point, Miller even appeared to run over her four-year-old daughter's foot with one of the device's wheels, prompting another shopper to rush over and help free the child
Patel's attorney explained that her client believed the child was about to fall, prompting him to lean forward and attempt to help reposition the two-year-old seated on Miller's lap.
The video then shows Patel stepping back from the scooter as Miller points once again toward a location in the distance.
Moments later, Patel was seen walking off in the direction Miller indicated - leaving the family alone and completely out of harms way.
'If you're in Walmart and you see someone in need, you're just going to have to let them fall apparently,' Merchant told the outlet. 'You're just going to have to let them... you know, whatever happens, happens.'
'We can no longer help handicapped people is what this is saying.'
Speaking about the incident last month, Miller clarified that she is not handicapped but was using the motorized scooter because her children wanted to ride in it.
That detail appeared to be evident in the surveillance footage, as Miller was seen aggressively backing into shelves and laughing it off.
At one point, Miller even appeared to run over her four-year-old daughter's foot with one of the device's wheels, prompting another shopper to rush over and help free the child.
Although Miller has called the altercation a terrifying tug-of-war as the pair fought for the child, footage showed Patel gently walking off to find Tylenol in the direction the mother pointed to in the distance
Before the CCTV footage was unearthed, Miller claimed that Patel gave up and fled the store, leaving her and her family in complete shock - but CCTV showed Patel paying for the medication with his own debit card before leaving the store, stopping to talk to an employee on his way out
'This man even jumped to help the child,' Merchant explained while talking through the footage. 'That's what people do.'
While a good Samaritan was helping Miller's daughter out from underneath the wheel of the device, an employee was captured helping Patel find the Tylenol in a separate area of the store.
With the pain medication in hand, Patel was seen heading toward the front registers, passing Miller along the way and briefly holding up the box to show her what he had found before calmly walking off to pay.
Before the footage was unearthed, Miller claimed that Patel gave up and fled the store, leaving her and her family in complete shock.
'We saw him checking out, but before we could really do anything, he was gone,' Miller told the outlet after the incident.
'He's not fleeing as the police have said,' Merchant argued. 'He's using his debit card. He's talking to an employee here, paying for it with his own name.'
Before Patel left the Walmart, he was captured stopping near the entrance to talk to an employee.
Three days after Miller claimed Patel 'fled' the store, police tracked him down and arrested him using FLOCK cameras in the parking lot - technology that picks up vehicle data, including license plates and physical descriptions of cars.
Three days after Miller claimed Patel 'fled' the store, police tracked him down and arrested him using FLOCK cameras in the parking lot - technology that picks up vehicle data, including license plates and physical descriptions of cars
Patel has remained in the Cobb County Jail without bond since being taken into custody last month and was indicted by a Grand Jury last week
After the incident, Miller publicly urged Walmart to take action by implementing stronger security measures throughout their stores, yet ignored the outlet's requests to comment on the security footage once it was released
'We were able to see what car he got into, we used our flock cameras in the city, was able to get a tag number and track him down,' Sgt. Eric Mistretta with the Acworth Police Department told the outlet.
Patel was ultimately arrested on charges of attempted kidnapping, simple assault and simple battery. He has remained in the Cobb County Jail without bond since being taken into custody last month.
After the incident, Miller told WSB-TV that she has since taught both her children how to defend themselves if they are ever in that type of situation again.
'She knows to scream now,' Miller said of her daughter. 'He knows to kick and bite to get away,' she added, referring to her son.
Additionally, Miller urged Walmart to take action by implementing stronger security measures throughout their stores.
However, the mother ignored the outlet's requests to comment on the security footage once it was released.
Last week, Patel was indicted by a Grand Jury. Prosecutors will have to drop all charges for the case to be dismissed.
Patel's attorney has an opportunity to ask a Superior Court judge to grant him bond as he now awaits trial.
