A 555 pound teenager is in protective custody. His mother is behind bars waiting to be taken back to South Carolina where she's wanted by police. 14 year old boy Alexander Draper and his mom Jerri Gray were found at the Sudsville Laundromat on Security Boulevard in Woodlawn.
Police says the mother showed signs of wanting to hurt herself after she was arrested. Gray was supposed to show up for a custody hearing in South Carolina earlier this week. Social Services there wanted temporary custody of her 555 pound son to get him medical help. Instead she took off, the two were found at the laundromat in Baltimore County on Thursday.
Family members back home say Gray is a good mother, but she could never say no. Cousin Avery Miller says, "If he wants something to eat, she's not going to tell him no. That's not my definition of neglect."
When authorities caught up with the two, they were doing laundry. Police say they did not resist arrest, but the mother apparently wanted to hurt herself. Bill Toohey with Baltimore County Police says, "The mother started exhibiting some troubling behavior that might have indicated some emotional issues so she was taken to Northwest Hospital for emergency evaluation."
Gray was discharged from the hospital Friday and taken before a court commissioner. She waived extradition, agreeing to go back to South Carolina. Police were able to find the mother and son at the laundromat after tracking the mom's cell phone calls. The boy apparently told police the two were just driving around and eventually ended up in Woodlawn.
Toohey says, “There appears to be no family or personal connection to Woodlawn. It may have been she was just heading south on 95 and got off on the beltway." The teen was taken to GBMC. A spokeswoman for Baltimore County Social Services says they're trying to keep him calm and comfortable. They're working with authorities in South Carolina to make sure he gets home safely.
Gray is being held at the Baltimore County Detention Center. She has a hearing on Tuesday.
