A mother has sent a Florida deputy officer a thank you letter for arresting her daughter after she was caught drinking, saying she hoped the experience taught her daughter a valuable lesson.
An unidentified 19-year-old woman was arrested March 15 during Spring Break while at a popular beach destination in Walton County, Fla.
In Walton County, the legal drinking age is 21.
In a telephone interview with Deputy Wesley Barnhill of the Walton County Sheriff Office, Barnhill said he was doing a beach patrol when he noticed the woman with a beer can in her hand.
“I just so happened to see the young lady dancing on top of a cooler,” said Barnhill. “And I approached her and asked for some ID and she presented me with what I could tell was a fake ID.”
According to Barnhill, the woman was able to get the month and day on the fake ID correct, but not the year.
“I advised her she was under arrest for underage possession of alcohol.”
After the incident – the woman was arrested and released the same day – her mother contacted the sheriff’s office online and thanked them for the arrest of her daughter.
“Yesterday, my daughter was one of the thousands of spoiled spring breakers “living it up” on the beach. She got arrested for underage drinking,” read the note on Walton County Sheriff Office’s Facebook page. “A stupid move that I warned her about before she left, but I’m just her mother, so “in one ear and out the other.’”
The letter went on to say the arrest “scared the hell out of her” and the mother hoped the experience taught her daughter a lesson.
“I’m very sorry my daughter added to your workload yesterday. They say you always have one child that makes you go grey early and she is mine! Thank you for saving me a few more grey hairs last night,” the letter continued.
Barnhill said it was nice to see a positive attitude towards law enforcement and the reaction to the woman getting arrested.
Barnhill also said he wants young adults to have fun but also “be smart” about it.
“If you’re going to drink under the age of 21, then you’re going to jail.”