A Georgia man who spent more than six weeks behind bars after being accused of trying to kidnap a toddler inside a Walmart has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit, alleging that police and prosecutors pursued charges despite video evidence that contradicted the accusation.
The lawsuit, filed on February 9, 2026, in federal court in Atlanta, was brought by Mahendra Patel, 57, of Acworth, Georgia. Patel was arrested in March 2025 after a fellow shopper told police he attempted to abduct her 2-year-old son inside a Walmart Supercenter. He remained in the Cobb County Jail for more than 40 days without bond before prosecutors ultimately dismissed the case later that year.
Patel’s complaint names Caroline Miller, the woman who made the accusation, as well as the Acworth Police Department, the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office, and several individual investigators. The lawsuit alleges wrongful prosecution, false arrest and violations of Patel’s constitutional rights under federal law.
According to the complaint, authorities continued to pursue felony charges even after reviewing store surveillance footage that Patel’s attorneys say clearly showed he committed no crime.
“The video proves what we have said from the beginning, Mr. Patel did nothing wrong,” one of his attorneys said in a statement. “Yet he was jailed, publicly branded a criminal, and stripped of his liberty without probable cause.”
Surveillance Video at the Center of the Case
At the heart of the lawsuit is Walmart surveillance video that Patel says was either ignored or mischaracterized by investigators. According to Patel and his legal team, the footage shows him briefly assisting the toddler, who appeared unsteady on his feet, while Patel was shopping in the store’s pharmacy area.
Patel has consistently denied attempting to take the child. At a news conference after the charges were dropped, he described the incident as a moment of ordinary human concern that spiraled into what he called a life-altering ordeal.
“I went in to get Tylenol,” Patel said. “Instead, I got the biggest headache of my life.”
His attorneys argue that the video undermines the core allegation of attempted kidnapping and that there was no evidence Patel tried to remove the child from his mother or the store.
Arrest at Gunpoint, Weeks in Jail
According to the lawsuit and reporting by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Patel was pulled over and arrested at gunpoint shortly after the Walmart incident. He was charged and booked into the Cobb County Jail, where he remained for more than six weeks without bond.
During that time, the complaint states, Patel lost income, suffered emotional distress and experienced lasting damage to his reputation within his community. The lawsuit also alleges that investigators failed to properly assess exculpatory evidence and that prosecutors proceeded with the case despite knowing the evidence was weak.
Patel’s legal team claims authorities either ignored or withheld evidence favorable to the defense, a charge that, if proven, could raise serious constitutional questions about due process.
Claims of a Broader Systemic Problem
The lawsuit seeks unspecified compensatory damages for financial losses and emotional harm, punitive damages to deter similar conduct, and reimbursement of legal fees.
In a statement, Patel’s attorney said the case reflects a broader concern about the criminal justice system’s handling of high-emotion allegations.
“This is what happens when accusations are treated as facts and evidence is treated as an inconvenience,” the attorney said. “No one should lose their freedom because authorities fail to do their job.”
Neither the Acworth Police Department nor the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office has publicly commented on the lawsuit as of publication. Court filings do not indicate when defendants are expected to respond.
Aftermath and Unanswered Questions
While the criminal case against Patel has been dismissed, the civil lawsuit is likely to reopen scrutiny of how the investigation was conducted, and why Patel remained jailed for weeks despite the existence of video evidence that his attorneys say contradicted the accusation.
For Patel, the lawsuit is not only about financial compensation, but about clearing his name. “You can’t get those days back,” he said. “But you can tell the truth.”
The case now moves into federal court, where judges will determine whether the actions of police and prosecutors crossed the line from error into constitutional violation, a distinction that could have implications well beyond one man’s experience in a Walmart aisle.
