Charges Dropped Against Georgia Man Accused Of Trying To Kidnap A Toddler At Walmart

Charges against a Georgia man accused of trying to kidnap a toddler astatine an Atlanta-area Walmart were dismissed Wednesday aft prosecutors said they were “satisfied that nan ends of justness person been met.”

A mobility revenge earlier said prosecutors were moving to driblet nan charges aft gathering pinch nan child's mother and reviewing nan facts and circumstances surrounding nan case.

The accused, Mahendra Patel, had disputed nan charges and said he had only been trying to thief nan mother during nan March 18 incident, which sparked allegations of group bias and drew astir 100,000 signatures successful an online petition calling for justice.

Mahendra Patel leaves jailhouse connected enslaved connected May 6.NBC News

Speaking extracurricular nan courtroom Wednesday, Patel told NBC connection WXIA-TV of Atlanta that he was “relieved” astatine nan outcome.

“This point was hanging connected my caput for a agelong time,” he told nan station. “Our family went done a batch of hell.”

Patel, 57, was indicted successful April connected charges of criminal effort to perpetrate kidnapping, elemental battle and elemental artillery aft authorities accused him of trying to propulsion nan 2-year-old from his mother during nan brushwood successful Acworth.

Patel was jailed for six weeks connected nan charges. He was released connected $10,000 enslaved successful May.

An apprehension warrant said that nan parent, Caroline Miller, was capable to get her boy backmost aft “wrestling” him distant from Patel. She told a section news outlet that they were “tug of warring” complete nan toddler.

But information video released by Patel’s lawyer appeared to contradict that account.

The video showed him speaking to Miller while she was successful a mobility scooter. At 1 point, nan kid — who was sitting successful his mother’s thigh — appeared to slip. Patel told authorities that he had been asking Miller wherever he could find Tylenol erstwhile he tried to thief stabilize nan child.

“Mr. Patel offered to clasp nan babe while she sewage up to show him wherever nan Tylenol was,” his lawyer said astatine a proceeding earlier this year.