Mother Jailed After Daughter Misses Too Many School Days

A Michigan mother, who allowed her 6-year-old daughter to accumulate 26 unexcused school absences, spent five days in jail this month and received nine months of probation, according to reports.

Brittany Ann Horton, 28, of Twin Lake, pleaded guilty on May 17 to truancy and was ordered to pay $525 in fines. She was sentenced on Nov. 16.

Horton's punishment was delayed because Muskegon County prosecutors allowed her time to resolve the situation, according to WXMI, a Fox affiliate in Grand Rapids, Michigan. However, her child ended up missing an additional 14 unexcused days of school.

According to ABC News, the prosecutor's office filed a truancy charge on March 5 and later issued a bench warrant after Horton did not appear at the arraignment after posting bond.

School administrators contact parents after a student accumulates nine days of unexcused absences. Because the absences were not resolved, school officials sent the case to prosecutors.

School officials first contacted Horton about the issues in October 2017 and followed up in December with letters and meetings, but Horton did not respond.

"When parents like Ms. Horton refuse to make reasonable efforts to address the truancy problem, our office is committed to making sure the children of our community are not deprived of an education," according to a statement from the prosecutor's office.