Melissa was forced to look for someone who could mind him.

Unfortunately, after exhausting her options, the hardworking mom was left with no choice but to ask her oldest daughter, 14, if she could babysit Thaddeus while she went to work. The teen agreed to do the babysitting.

At some point during the day, Thaddeus is said to have slipped outside while his older sister was doing schoolwork. He played for around 15 minutes before the 14-year-old realized that he had gone and went outside to bring him in.

No harm was done, but a neighbor had spotted the boy playing alone and, concerned for his well being, called 911.

Two weeks later, the police showed up at Melissa’s home and placed her under arrest for criminal reckless conduct.

Speaking to Inside Edition, Melissa confessed: “It was the most embarrassing and humiliating day, honestly, of my life.”

As per Little Things, the police report focused on what might have happened to Thaddeus while he was outside alone, including being “kidnapped, run over or bitten by a venomous snake.”

If convicted of the crime she’s charged with, mom Melissa could face one year in jail and $1,000 in fines.

I don’t know about you, but I think this is a bit of an overreaction on the part of the authorities.

Sure, it’s not good to have a 4-year-old potentially placed in harm’s way by being outside alone, but I don’t see how Melissa did anything majorly wrong in trusting her teenage daughter to look after Thaddeus.