A Georgia father has become the subject of controversy after being arrested for abandoning his children. Chris Louis, 24, dropped off his three children—ages 10, 6, and one—at a McDonald’s with an indoor PlayPlace.
According to a police report cited by Today.com, Louis was detained after leaving his three small children unsupervised at a McDonald’s for an hour and 42 minutes.
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A fellow customer, who was eating with his family, realized they were left alone and contacted the police. The witness reported to the police that he saw Louis ordering dinner for the kids at about 4:30 p.m., adding that Louis left the restaurant, returned, and then left again.
Officers arrested Louis when he returned to McDonald’s at approximately 6:18 p.m. He was then charged with deprivation of a child. Louis told police that he had walked with his kids from his apartment to the restaurant, but he didn’t want to make them return while he was at a job interview nearby. He added that he didn’t have a car.
The arrest circulated on social media, capturing the attention of former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown, who started a GoFundMe campaign for Louis, which has since raised over $75,000.
“Story caught me by surprise,” Brown wrote. “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. This GoFundMe is set in place to help this man.”
However, according to a recent police report acquired by People, Louis was not at a job interview while his children were at McDonald’s. According to officials, Louis rather applied for a job earlier that day.
After the incident, Louis’ eldest child spoke with police.
“A 10-year-old child, stated that she, her father (Chris Louis), and her two siblings had walked to McDonald’s from [an apartment complex],” the police said in a report. “She further stated that her father left to deliver a backpack to [the apartment complex] and told her he would return shortly. The child also mentioned that her father frequently left them alone.”
Police also visited a nearby inn, where Louis claimed to have applied for a job.
“[The inn manager] confirmed that Mr. Louis came in on March 22, 2025, and completed a job application,” police indicated. “She also conducted an informal interview with him on that date. When asked if Mr. Louis would be expecting a callback for a formal interview, she stated, no.”
Police said security footage showed Louis leaving the inn hours before his children were found at McDonald’s that afternoon.
“Based on the video evidence and the timeline provided by all parties involved, it was determined that Mr. Louis was not engaged in a job interview or application process during the time the children were left unattended,” the sheriff’s office reportedly said. “Furthermore, by his own admission, he was walking between McDonald’s and [an apartment complex] on foot during that period.”
According to the police report, Louis was transferred to Webster Detention Center the day he was arrested after the children were picked up by their mother.
Child protective services were called, and an incident report was filed.
