COBB COUNTY, Ga. — A Cobb County man spent 46 nights in jail after being falsely accused of trying to kidnap a baby in Walmart. Now he wants to help others fighting for their freedom.
He shared an idea with Channel 2’s Courtney Francisco, and she checked to find out if it is possible.
Helping may have landed him in jail, but Mahendra Patel said he’d do it again.
“We gotta help each other. That’s what’s called, you know, community and neighbor,” he said.
Francisco introduced viewers to Patel in March after a mother said he tried to kidnap her baby in Walmart.
“We’re tug of warring,” she said at the time.
Patel said he asked her if she’d seen the medicine isle.
She had two kids wiggling around on the wheelchair with her. He thought the baby was going to fall and tried to help her readjust.
His attorney used surveillance to get prosecutors to drop his charges, but he spent 46 nights in jail first.
“Imagine if I had a job, I would be fired instantly, OK?” Patel said.
He said he’s enjoyed the success of owning a real estate company, and that income allowed him to fight the false accusations in court.
“I an exception, I realize that,” Patel said. He said most on the inside cannot afford that.
“People don’t even have 500 bucks to bond them out,” Patel said.
He told Francisco, maybe his time in jail is not in vain.
“I think there’s a reason why God take me out of the highway, literally, and dropped me in the jail for 46 nights,” Patel said.
He said all he has to offer is some housing. Maybe former inmates could use it.
But there’s a process, and Francisco wanted to find out what it takes.
She contacted the parole board, and learned the Department of Community Supervision has a housing unit.
A spokesperson said in a letter that anyone interested in providing rentals can reach out.
A member would ensure the property meets certain standards, And as long as the provider passes the background check, they can apply for final approval.
“That’s exactly what we’re going to work on. A positive thing gotta come out of this negative experience,” Patel said.
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