Mom charged with child abuse for letting son, 11, drive cart

BALD HEAD ISLAND, N.C. – A woman says she was arrested, charged with child abuse and detained for hours for letting her 11-year-old son drive a golf cart during a family vacation on a North Carolina beach resort island.

Julie Mall tells The Charlotte Observer (http://bit.ly/1TshWfT ) her son asked to drive the cart two blocks back to their rented cottage on Bald Head Island on July 26. Mall says a police golf cart pulled them over and an officer accused her of being drunk, which she denies. She says more officers showed up and she was arrested. Video shows a screaming Mall on the ground being handcuffed by an officer with a knee on her back.

The charges were later dismissed.

Village manager Chris McCall says it will be reviewing public safety policies and procedures.

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