A Wisconsin mother, Flor Escalante, was arrested after an incident on November 7, 2024, in which she kicked her 12-year-old son out of her car during an argument about his grades and forced him to walk nearly two miles along a busy highway. The confrontation took place on I-94 as the mother and son were on their way to a Sylvan Learning Center, where the boy was scheduled to receive tutoring. The argument escalated over the boy’s performance in school, and Escalante, visibly frustrated, pulled the car over onto the shoulder of the highway, ordered her son out, and instructed him to walk to the tutoring center alone.
Several motorists who saw the child walking along the shoulder of the highway, crying and alone, called 911. The boy, not dressed for the cold weather and without a phone, was left in a vulnerable position with rush hour traffic nearby and the temperature dropping to around 50 degrees. Police responded to the scene, where they found the child walking towards the tutoring center. He was then taken to the Sylvan Learning Center, where officers arrested Escalante.
Escalante, 38, was charged with felony child abandonment and a misdemeanor charge of neglect. In her statement to the police, Escalante explained that the reason for her extreme reaction was a belief that her son needed to learn a lesson in appreciation. She claimed she worked multiple jobs to support the family and tried to help her son with his studies. She stated that she wanted him to understand the value of hard work and labor, which led her to make the decision to have him walk instead of taking him to the tutoring center as originally planned.
While Escalante acknowledged being upset, she seemed unaware of the potential danger in her actions. In her defense, she claimed that traffic had been moving slowly when she let her son out of the car, and when she turned around to check on him, she couldn’t find him. Rather than contacting authorities, she assumed the police would return him to her, which, of course, they did. Police noted that while Escalante appeared visibly upset during the interrogation, she did not seem to fully grasp the recklessness of leaving her child in such a perilous situation.
The boy, whose name was not released, was later placed with family members while his mother was released from custody on a $500 bail. The incident has raised concerns about the well-being of the child and the severity of Escalante’s actions. The criminal complaint also mentioned that Escalante had not been in touch with the child’s father, further highlighting the isolation and vulnerability of the child in this situation.
The case has garnered attention for the extreme nature of the punishment Escalante imposed on her son for what was reportedly a disagreement over his academic performance. Experts in child welfare have pointed out the dangerous implications of such actions, noting that exposing a child to the risks of busy highways, particularly in the dark and cold, is both negligent and deeply harmful. While Escalante has expressed remorse for the situation, the charges reflect the seriousness of her actions, which could have resulted in far worse consequences.
In the aftermath of the incident, it was reported that Escalante would be seeking help for herself, as she acknowledged that she needed to step back and reflect on her behavior. While the legal proceedings continue, the case highlights the emotional and psychological pressures that parents face, as well as the impact of punitive measures on children in moments of frustration. The boy’s future remains uncertain, but for now, he is staying with relatives while his mother navigates the legal and personal challenges ahead.
