All this for something that can be washed off? Ridiculous! Talk about wasting tax dollars.

Video still of Susan Mortensen outside of court in Richmond, Virginia, charged with vandalism for allowing her daughter to draw with chalk on rocks on Belle Isle (©NBC12, http://aka.ms/SusanMortensen)

A 4-year-old's drawing of a "door to a magic land" earned a Richmond, Virginia mom a $325 fine, a ban from all city parks and a whopping 50 hours of community service. Susan Mortensen was ticketed in March for allowing her daughter to draw with chalk on the rocks at Belle Isle, a granite-studded park in the James River. According to Officer Stacy Rogers, the girl was "destroying" property and Mortensen was at fault for allowing her to do it. Yesterday, a judge agreed with the officer, charging Mortensen with vandalism and ordering her to spend 50 hours of her free time painting boundary posts for the park service. It's a good thing her daughter didn't have any spray-paint. [Source]

SHARE THIS QUESTION:

Asked by booklover545 at 3:16 PM on Aug. 1, 2012 in Politics & Current Events

104696 Level 38

This question is closed.

Answers (14)

Ridiculous! Did they try washing it off 1st to see if it caused damage?
Granite is super hard. I hardly doubt the sidewalk chalk did damage.
Most I'd give her would be the job of cleaning it off

Answer by butterflyblue19 at 3:42 PM on Aug. 1, 2012
Credits: 342552 Level 49 Politics & Current Events Major

Found an answer to your question?
Like us on Facebook!
That's ridiculous!

Answer by BubbaLuva at 3:18 PM on Aug. 1, 2012
Credits: 11163 Level 21

Found an answer to your question?
Like us on Facebook!
wow...does chalk harm granite? otherwise this is almost the stupidest thing ive read all day.

Answer by okmanders at 3:19 PM on Aug. 1, 2012
Credits: 136231 Level 41 Politics & Current Events Degree

Found an answer to your question?
Like us on Facebook!
I do not think so. There was no reason to bring the chalk to the park where such things are prohibitted in the first place. Like so many others she thought she and her daughter were above the law.
I am sorry but breaking the little laws and getting away with it leads to breaking bigger laws.

Answer by Dardenella at 3:23 PM on Aug. 1, 2012
Credits: 199770 Level 45 Politics & Current Events Degree

Found an answer to your question?
Like us on Facebook!
That's why I keep these things on my own driveway

Answer by cookie269 at 3:39 PM on Aug. 1, 2012
Credits: 21188 Level 24 Politics & Current Events 101

Found an answer to your question?
Like us on Facebook!
I don't think it's ridiculous at all. I think she deserved it. What is wash off this time, could be permanent next. You don't deface public property...ever.

Answer by adnilm at 3:51 PM on Aug. 1, 2012
Credits: 118778 Level 40 Politics & Current Events Degree

Found an answer to your question?
Like us on Facebook!
Seriously?! There are so many REAL criminals in this world! Must've been a slow day for that cop! Give me a break. Next thing you'll know, they'll charge someone w/ assault for blowing bubbles & having one accidentally pop in their face! And to to ban them from all the parks too? I'd move. There's no way I'd want to live in a community that's so freakin stupid!

Answer by mrsmom110 at 5:28 PM on Aug. 1, 2012
Credits: 163863 Level 43 Politics & Current Events Major

Found an answer to your question?
Like us on Facebook!
Defacing of public property has never been okay.

Answer by meooma at 6:09 PM on Aug. 1, 2012
Credits: 375223 Level 50 Politics & Current Events Degree

Found an answer to your question?
Like us on Facebook!
^^^ But how is it defacing if it washes off? It's chalk for goodness sakes. It's not like she's some thug or gangster wanna be who was spray painting the rocks. It was CHALK! I'm sorry, I don't think the punishment fits this Non-crime!

Answer by mrsmom110 at 6:21 PM on Aug. 1, 2012
Credits: 163863 Level 43 Politics & Current Events Major

Found an answer to your question?
Like us on Facebook!
better start charging the birds for shitting all over everything
Now THAT does damage

Answer by butterflyblue19 at 8:04 PM on Aug. 1, 2012
Credits: 342552 Level 49 Politics & Current Events Major

Found an answer to your question?
Like us on Facebook!