A warning to single parents

To the editor:All the single moms out there, listen up. I am a single mom raising two small children ages 9 and 11. On Aug. 8, 2006, I was arrested for a DUI and child endangerment while I was inside a convenience store in Scott County. You didn't read it wrong. I was not pulled over. The officer had a call from an eyewitness saying that a car fitting my description and going about 100 mph ran him off the road. I gave permission for the officer to search my car, and I was immediately whisked down to the Scott County jail. I was denied a phone call until seven hours later, and because I was a "no call, no show" at work, I was terminated. I am now in the middle of a raging custody battle over my children because of these bogus charges. My point? Be careful out there. This cop was terminated shortly after I and a few other women filed complaints against him. If I can help just one mom out there, then it was worth being able to warn single parents. I now carry two years of supervised probation over this event, and Scott County tends to think it is funny.

DONNA POBST, Cape Girardeau