(Todd A. Smith)
The story of Chris Louis symbolizes the current plight of journalism.
Back in the day, journalists waited for all the details to emerge before reporting a story, especially if they were providing commentary.
The op-ed below contains my true thoughts on Louis’ story as they were reported at the time.
With new information out, my thoughts have changed.
I no longer see Louis as a sympathetic figure but as a flawed individual who made the huge mistake of leaving his children alone in a public place while he handled some personal matters.
Leaving them alone could have led to catastrophe.
Thank God nothing catastrophic happened.
What did happen was a wake-up call for parents and journalists/columnists.
Parents, never leave your children unattended, especially in a public place.
And journalists/columnists, make sure you have the complete story before going public with your thoughts.
UPDATE: Law enforcement has discovered inconsistencies with Chris Louis’ story about leaving his children alone while he interviewed for a job since the publishing of this op-ed. The New York Post reported, “Police poked holes in Louis’ alibi when they went to the inn and spoke with an employee, who confirmed that Louis had filled out a job application around 1:30 p.m. but was not expecting any return call for an interview.”
Chris Louis should not face extreme ridicule.
Additionally, Louis should not receive praise.
However, the 24-year-old father of three from Georgia deserves understanding and support from the community for his efforts to be a good dad, even though he clearly has limited options as he strives to improve himself and create a better life for his children.
Maryam Khanum of MSN reported, “A Georgia man was arrested last week after leaving his three young children in a McDonald’s restaurant without supervision while attending a job interview.
“Chris Louis, 24, was charged with deprivation of a minor on March 22. Authorities responded to the McDonald’s at 2902 Washington Road in Augusta after a concerned bystander noticed the children, aged 1, 6 and 10, in the restaurant alone, reported The Augusta Press.
“A responding deputy arrived at the scene to find the children unaccompanied, with a witness reporting seeing them with Louis at 4:30 pm.
“Louis was detained by law enforcement as soon as he returned to the restaurant around 6:18 pm. He told officers that he did not own a car, and that he lived in an apartment nearby and did not want to make his children walk back alone while he attended the interview.
“Louis was arrested and taken into police custody while the children’s mother arrived at the scene to pick up the children.”
Louis has received praise, with some social media users wanting to contribute to a GoFundMe for the young father.
However, he received criticism too.
On April 1, radio personality Charlemagne tha God from “The Breakfast Club” named Louis the “Donkey of the Day.”
But he should receive the label of “Dad Doing his Darndest to Do for His Descendants.”
Louis takes care of his three children.
He is not a deadbeat.
At 24 years old, he had his first child at around 14 years old.
While that might seem irresponsible, he is showing responsibility by being a devoted dad.
The news report says that the children’s mother came to pick up the kid once Louis was arrested.
Therefore, it appears that all three children are for the same woman.
Despite not owning a car, it seems Louis is attempting to pull himself up by his bootstraps, while many would have simply given up or opted to live off handouts.
And if no other police reports show that he has neglected his children in the past, this probably was a one-time deal because of the job interview.
Unfortunately, America has done such an excellent job of undermining Black fathers and discrediting them that many simply assume Louis is a terrible father.
America loves to say that Black people should just work hard and not ask for a handout.
And then when a Black man attempts to do so, he is beaten down again by society.
I have had many job interviews that happened suddenly.
I had very little time to prepare.
And I had very little time to handle my family responsibilities before the interview.
Maybe, Louis could not afford an expensive babysitter considering he does not even have a job or a car.
Maybe the mother of the children was at work too during his interview.
Are the grandparents, aunts and uncles of the children still alive?
What if Louis did not trust the adults in his community to look after his three children while he attended the interview?
What if the older teenagers in the neighborhood were at school or work?
What if Louis continued to be unemployed and his children missed meals?
The brother would have found himself in a Catch-22 regardless.
Although the Black community has made progress in many avenues in life, Louis’ predicament is nothing new for people who constantly must pull themselves up from new bootstraps after society keeps stealing their boots.
My aunt Alfreda liked to say that she “raised” my aunt, Lucille.
Although Alfreda was only 11 years older than Lucille, my grandmother often gave her the responsibility of looking after her baby sister while she worked cleaning the homes of White people.
My grandmother likely disliked that scenario.
But what choice did she have?
Her husband worked, and so did many other adults in their segregated Black neighborhood.
The neighborhood probably had no daycares in the 1950s.
Therefore, older siblings often performed parental duties until their mother and father returned home from work.
Today, law enforcement might look at the situation as child neglect.
But back in the day, that was the norm.
And it was a necessity.
Unfortunately, having older siblings caring for younger siblings is still a necessity in 2025 because of exorbitant childcare costs and the need for good employment in an age of excessive inflation.
That does not mean that what Louis did should be emulated.
He should face some type of penalty.
However, it should bring attention to the plight of parents who want to do better for their children, but their predicament makes it difficult for them to dig themselves out of the hole that they find themselves in.
Many might criticize him for having children at such a young age.
Others might criticize him for having three children when he cannot even afford a car.
However, those people do not know what led to him not having a car.
Many people get laid off every day through no fault of their own.
Many people have children as teenagers and those children go on to enormous success like LeBron James and Allen Iverson.
Many parents have multiple children even though they are poor.
And those children go on to change the world like The Jacksons or the Wayans family.
There is no telling what God has for Louis and his family.
But one thing is for sure.
That is, the Louis family has a father willing to do whatever it takes to better the lives of his children, even if he must do something other fathers do not.
