After working 41 hours in three days caring for COVID patients, single, exhausted mother was arrested for DUI and child neglect; but blood results prove she was sober

This mother worked what most people work in five days during a three-day time period. Unfortunately, the single parent was exhausted because she worked 41 hours caring for COVID patients and said she needed some alone time to go to the mall. So, the mother dropped her 5-year-old son off at daycare and went about her business. But as soon as she returned flashing lights appeared in her rearview mirror, and her life changed in a matter of minutes.

On September 22, 2021, when the single mother, Katie Slayton, dropped her son off, the daycare worker allegedly noted the mother appeared off and they contacted the local police department. According to WSMV, prior to dropping her son off at daycare, the nurse had worked 41 hours caring for COVID patients.

Body camera footage captured the daycare worker describing the mother as circling here, scratching her head, talking to herself. When police approached her vehicle, the mother was unaware of the claims against her. Police questioned if she was drunk or impaired, which although she was taken aback by, she replied no.

The mother reportedly told the officers that she was taking medicine for ADHD and agreed to a field sobriety test, even though one of the officers can be heard saying, “I don’t smell any alcohol.” While the mother performs the field sobriety test, her 5-year-old son runs up and down the sidewalk. Officers try to get him to calm down, but fail.

The mother, who was shaky during the test and had slurred speech, explained the reason she couldn’t concentrate on the task at hand was her maternal instincts. “I just realized they’re taking control of my son, and at that point, I started shaking.” the mother reportedly told WSMV.

That day, the single mother was arrested for DUI and being told that her child would have to go into state custody if she was unable to find someone to care for him. Since she had no family in the state and her phone was dead, her son had to go into state custody.

After the incident, the mother underwent a psychological exam and was allowed to regain custody of her child, but that wasn’t the end of her troubles. Few months later, blood tests revealed that the mother was not impaired at the time of her arrest. The family’s attorney, Ben Powers, reportedly said: “She did test positive for her prescribed medication. But they were very much within therapeutic levels.”

According to Powers, the charges against his client were dropped, but it still didn’t take away the horrors of that night and what followed. During their initial interaction with Slayton, officers asked if she took her medication, which she did. The problem arose when her ADHD symptoms replicated those of someone who may be under the influence, FOX 8 Live reports.

According to the mother, she she was unable to perform on the field sobriety test because she was exhausted from her shifts and seeing her son being taken away. She said that she had worked 41 hours caring for COVID patients. The mother from Tennessee also said that she didn’t have any plans to sue the police department.

Slayton just wanted her arrest looked into and a formal apology from the police chief. While her arrest was investigation and no discrepancies were found, she did not get an apology. As a result she said she planned to leave the state.