A Georgia church deacon is facing criminal charges after allegedly putting four young children off a church bus and leaving them on the side of the road because they were reportedly cursing and fighting with each other.
The incident has sparked serious questions about the decision to leave children as young as 9 years old away from home without a responsible adult there to pick them up.
According to a report from WALB, the incident happened Sunday, October 11, in Albany, Georgia. The man accused in the case is 42-year-old Erin Menefee, a deacon at Oakridge Baptist Church who also reportedly works as a teacher at Mitchell County High School.
Police say the situation involved three siblings, ages 9, 11 and 12, along with their 10-year-old friend, who had been invited to attend church with them.
According to the Albany Police Department incident report cited by WALB, officers responded to Oakridge Baptist Church on West Oakridge Drive after learning about the incident.
The children’s mother reportedly told police that her three children and their young friend had been kicked off the church bus during the trip.
The mother said she learned what happened after her own mother contacted her and explained that Menefee had called to report that he had put the children off the bus because they were allegedly cursing.
The children were reportedly left at the intersection of Westover Boulevard and Gillionville Road, several miles from where their mother lived.
The mother said the distance was too far for the children to walk home safely. She reportedly got into her vehicle and began searching for them, but initially could not locate her children.
During her search, she spotted the church bus and attempted to flag it down.
The situation took another turn when she reportedly spoke with Menefee, who acknowledged that he had left the children farther down the road.
According to the police report, the children’s grandmother was told that the youngsters had been removed from the bus because they were allegedly cursing and hitting each other.
Menefee reportedly gave officers his explanation for what happened.
He told police that he had approximately 20 children on the bus and that the particular group had been disruptive. He reportedly said he needed to put them off the bus for his own safety.
However, officers questioned how the children were expected to get home after being left at the intersection.
Menefee reportedly said he had contacted their grandmother. According to police, he acknowledged that he should have waited for someone to arrive and pick the children up instead of leaving them there.
That admission became a significant detail in the police account of the incident.
Even if children are being disruptive during transportation, leaving young passengers several miles from home without first ensuring that a responsible adult has arrived raises obvious safety concerns.
The reported circumstances also raise questions about how the situation could have been handled without putting the children in a potentially dangerous position.
While their mother was searching for them, she reportedly went to the church to speak with the pastor.
She later received a phone call informing her that someone had helped bring the children home safely.
The identity of the person who helped the children was not detailed in the initial report.
Fortunately, the initial news coverage reported that the children had made it home. However, the circumstances surrounding how they were left on the road remain at the center of the case.
For parents who trust churches and other organizations to transport their children, incidents like this can raise difficult questions about supervision, accountability and the responsibilities of adults entrusted with young passengers.
WALB reported that he faces multiple counts of reckless conduct in connection with the incident. The report did not establish that he had been convicted of the charges.
Menefee is also identified in the report as a teacher at Mitchell County High School, adding another layer of public attention to the case.
At this stage, the reported account largely relies on statements described in the police incident report. Any additional court proceedings, official statements from the church or school, or further information about the children’s condition could provide more context as the case develops.
For now, the central allegation remains that four children were removed from a church bus and left several miles from home over reported behavioral problems.
What could have been handled by contacting a parent or guardian instead resulted in a police investigation and an arrest.
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