Chapter 15 - My mistake becomes public
I made another mistake beyond the slap.
Not criminal.
Social.
A local parenting group somehow learned about the case after court records became accessible.
Someone posted:
Grandmother allegedly burns toddler with coffee after discipline dispute.
Comments exploded.
I read them.
Bad decision.
Then one person wrote:
The mother assaulted the grandmother too. Sounds like the whole family is trash.
I replied from my real account.
She threw scalding coffee at my two-year-old. I slapped her after watching my child scream. Do not compare those things.
Screen captured.
Shared.
Reporter contacted me.
Rebecca, my attorney for the diversion and related civil matters, called.
“Yes, I saw it.”
“I was defending myself.”
“You were discussing an active case online.”
“She made me sound—”
“Megan.”
I stopped.
“Delete it.”
I did.
Then:
“Do not let strangers turn this into a competition over who can produce the angriest sentence.”
I hated that.
Because I had wanted strangers to say:
You were right.
That need was dangerous.
From then on:
No public posts.
No leaked audio.
No hospital photographs online.
Ellie’s injury was not content.
May you like
The court did not need an audience.
Neither did my anger.
