A 57-year-old Georgia man accused of attempting to kidnap a toddler from an Atlanta-area Walmart is now free on bond, with newly released surveillance footage casting doubt on the original allegations.
Mahendra Patel was released from Cobb County Jail on Tuesday morning after spending six weeks in custody. A superior court judge set his bond at $10,000, allowing Patel to return home while he awaits trial.
Patel was arrested in March and charged with criminal attempt to commit kidnapping, assault, and battery after an incident involving 26-year-old Caroline Miller and her 2-year-old son. Miller claimed Patel forcibly pulled her child from her lap in a motorized shopping cart for people with disabilities, leading to what she described as a “tug of war” between the two.
However, Patel’s attorney, Ashleigh Merchant, says surveillance footage tells a very different story — one that shows no evidence of attempted kidnapping.
“This was not an attack. This was not a kidnapping,” Merchant said in court. “The video shows a calm interaction between Mr. Patel and Ms. Miller. The child briefly slipped from her lap, and Mr. Patel tried to steady him.”
According to the arrest warrant, Miller feared for her safety and her child’s after allegedly wrestling her son back from Patel. But the video appears to show a more benign exchange, with Patel speaking to Miller calmly, asking for help finding Tylenol, and offering to assist with her children — seemingly under the impression that Miller was physically disabled.
“Mr. Patel offered to hold the baby while she got up to show him where the Tylenol was,” Merchant explained. “He believed she was handicapped and simply wanted help.”
The footage reportedly also shows Patel returning to Miller to show her a bottle of Tylenol he had located on the store shelves.
“Mr. Patel did not try to kidnap this child. The surveillance video couldn’t be clearer,” Merchant told the court.
Miller, who is not disabled, later told investigators that she had been using the motorized cart because her children enjoy riding in it.
Since Patel’s arrest, the case has sparked public debate and outrage online. Many have rallied in support of Patel, calling the situation a misunderstanding. A petition calling for his release gathered more than 47,000 signatures as of Tuesday, urging authorities to review the video evidence and drop the charges.
Outside the detention center, Patel spoke briefly to reporters, expressing relief at being reunited with his family.
“I’m a positive guy, so you got to take it one day at a time. There were a lot of ups and downs, but I knew we had a team outside helping me,” he said. “One day we’ll see the light — and today is that day.”
Patel said he was most looking forward to a home-cooked meal, joking, “I’m picky about food, but I told my daughter and wife, ‘I don’t care. Better than what I got over there.’”
Despite his release, Patel still faces serious charges. A trial date has not yet been scheduled, and the case remains open. His legal team says they plan to fight vigorously to clear his name, citing the video evidence as a key part of their defense.
The incident has sparked a broader discussion around the rush to judgment in criminal cases and the importance of surveillance footage in providing critical context.
For now, Patel is home — grateful, hopeful, and preparing for the next chapter in what he and his supporters say is a deeply misunderstood case.