TYLENOL ACCUSED OF KIDNAPPING
CAROLINE MILLER - MAHENDRA PATEL
BY SNN.BZ STAFF
Mahendra Patel, a 57-year-old engineer of Indian origin, found himself entangled in a distressing misunderstanding on March 18, 2025, while shopping for Tylenol at a Walmart in Acworth, Georgia. A mother, Caroline Miller, briefly stepped away from her two toddlers, who were seated in a motorized shopping cart.
The older toddler, a 2-year-old boy, began climbing out, causing the cart to tip precariously. Concerned for the child’s safety, Patel rushed to intervene, steadying the cart and attempting to secure the boy back in his seat. Upon returning, Miller misinterpreted Patel’s actions as an attempted kidnapping and immediately contacted the police.
It is important to note that the prosecutor makes it a point to say that Mahendra Patel was drunk at the time. Ashleigh Merchant objected and the prosecutor made it a point to say “well, he was arrested for something else. This is his fourth arrest.” NO ONE smelled alcohol on him at all, but having been arrested in the past and having a case in the wings made Patel seem dangerous and the prosecutor referred to him as “a felon” repeatedly..
Despite Patel’s explanation that he was only trying to prevent an injury, Miller’s account was widely believed, and Patel’s version of events was dismissed. As a result, he was arrested and spent over 45 days in Cobb County Jail.
Representing Patel is Ashleigh Merchant, a prominent attorney known for uncovering the relationship between Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and her married lover. Merchant is now advocating for Patel, leveraging evidence such as surveillance footage to argue that the incident was a tragic misunderstanding.
Mahendra Patel, a 57-year-old Indian-origin engineer, was released on a $10,000 bond on May 6, 2025, after spending 45 days in Cobb County Jail in Georgia following an incident on March 18, 2025, at a Walmart in Acworth.
SHE USES WHEELCHAIR FOR RIDING HER KIDS
He was accused of attempting to kidnap a 2-year-old boy from a mother, Caroline Miller, who was using a motorized cart with her two children. Miller claimed Patel grabbed her son, leading to a “tug of war,” but Patel maintained he was trying to prevent the child from falling off the cart after it allegedly clipped a store display.
His attorney, Ashleigh Merchant, presented surveillance footage that she argues shows no kidnapping attempt, depicting Patel calmly interacting with Miller, asking for help finding Tylenol, and later showing her the purchased item without fleeing the scene.
The footage, described as grainy and partially obscured by Patel’s back, was pivotal in the bond hearing, where Cobb County Superior Court Judge A. Gregory Poole granted bond, stating Patel was not a flight risk and posed no danger to the community.
Patel was indicted on April 3, 2025, on charges of attempted kidnapping, simple assault, and simple battery. The bond conditions include no contact with Miller or her family, abstaining from drugs and alcohol, and avoiding Walmart locations.
Merchant plans to seek dismissal of the charges, arguing the incident was a misunderstanding. No trial date has been set, and the case continues to draw significant attention, with over 46,000 petition signatures and support from various community groups advocating for Patel’s innocence
