Chris Louis, a 24-year-old African American father from Augusta, Georgia, was arrested last week after he left his three young children alone at a McDonald’s while attending a nearby job interview — an incident that has sparked debate and raised awareness about the struggles faced by parents without access to affordable childcare. Chris was charged on March 22 with deprivation of a minor after authorities found his children — ages 1, 6, and 10 — unattended inside the fast-food restaurant located at 2902 Washington Road.
Police say that Chris walked with his children from their apartment to the McDonald’s, which features an indoor playground, and left them there while he went to the interview. Witnesses saw Louis with the children around 4:30 p.m. and reported that he left and returned multiple times. He came back to the restaurant shortly after 6:00 p.m., at which point officers detained him. Louis told authorities he didn’t own a car and didn’t want to make his children walk a long distance twice. The children’s mother arrived shortly afterward to pick them up.
The incident has brought attention to a growing reality for many low-income parents who are desperate to improve their families’ situations but can’t afford the high cost of babysitters or daycare. For parents like Louis, trying to land a job without anyone to watch their children creates a heartbreaking dilemma: risk their safety or lose a chance to earn a living.
Former NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown was among those moved by the story, writing on social media, “A dad just trying to find a way to make money for his family. I know he shouldn’t just leave his kids, but some people don’t have the means for babysitting.” Brown started a GoFundMe page to raise support for Chris, contributing $1,000 of his own money. “Chris was on the Pursuit of Happiness & sometimes ppl just need help,” Brown said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
In just five hours, the fundraiser reached over $28,000 of its $50,000 goal, with donations continuing to pour in. While some online criticized Louis for his decision, many others defended him, emphasizing that he was doing his best in a difficult situation. “Dude was literally doing the best he could with what he has,” one commenter said. “I commend him for that—it’s not easy.”
To date, Chris Louis, a father of six, remains in custody, but his story has touched a nerve nationwide. The public response has opened up larger conversations about how society can better support struggling parents, especially those who are simply trying to work and provide for their children without access to the basic help they need.