Case dismissed against man accused of trying to abduct child at Acworth Walmart

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - After months of controversy, the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office has dismissed the case against a man accused of trying to abduct a child at an Acworth Walmart.

Mahendra Patel, 57, faced charges of attempted kidnapping, assault and battery, which were dropped during a hearing on Wednesday.

“Finally, we got the freedom back and I am thankful for that,” Patel said. “I feel so happy about this.”

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Man accused of trying to kidnap toddler at Acworth Walmart granted bond

The case started in March, when a woman named Caroline Miller told police that Patel asked her a question about Tylenol before grabbing her toddler at the Walmart Supercenter off Cobb Parkway. She described the incident as an extended tug-of-war, after which Patel allegedly walked away.

But footage from inside the Walmart cast doubt on her story. Ashleigh Merchant, Patel’s attorney, played several clips inside the courtroom during a hearing.

“You can see him lean in, you can definitely see there’s an interaction between them, but it’s very brief and it’s not at all as it’s been described, as this tug-of-war grabbing or anything like that,” she said.

Patel didn’t run. Instead, he found the medicine and was seen showing the woman his Tylenol as he walked out of the store. The woman called the police about 30 minutes later.

Patel spent more than a month in jail and was granted a $10,000 bond in May.

“It was a shocker. In fact, I didn’t even realize why they were arresting me in the first place,” he told Atlanta News First at the time. “I couldn’t believe this – me going in a prison for a long time for something that I didn’t even do? It was incomprehensible.”

On Wednesday, Merchant and Patel spoke with reporters as they left the courthouse following the case’s dismissal.

“We hope that the police learn from this not to rush to judgment and actually investigate a case fully before they charge someone and lock them up,” Merchant said.

“I think before getting somebody’s life affected, everybody’s got to do their own homework and don’t rush to judgment, because this could alter people’s life, a family’s life,” Patel said.

In a statement, Cobb County District Attorney Sonya Allen said her office dismissed the charges after a “productive meeting” between Patel and Miller, during which “they were able to discuss the circumstances and impact of the case.”

You can read the district attorney’s full statement below:

“Today, the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office moved to dismiss the charges against Mahendra Patel. This decision follows a productive meeting between the involved parties, during which they were able to discuss the circumstances and impact of the case.

Both Mr. Patel and Ms. Miller expressed a shared desire to move forward and put the incident behind them. The Cobb County District Attorney’s Office is pleased to have facilitated a resolution and is encouraged by the willingness of both parties to engage in a constructive dialogue.

We remain committed to pursuing justice in a manner that promotes accountability, restoration, and community healing whenever possible."

Atlanta News First reached out to Miller for comment Wednesday. So far, we have not heard back.

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