A mother who pleaded guilty to fraudulently enrolling her six-year-old son in the wrong school district has been sentenced to five years in prison.
The 34-year-old, said she wanted the best education possible for the boy.
Tonya McDowell sent her son to an elementary school in Norwalk, Connecticut, instead of her home city of Bridgeport.
The 34-year-old, who was homeless when she was charged with felony larceny last year, said she wanted the best education possible for the boy.
Authorities told the hearing that she used a babysitter's address to enroll her son in kindergarten in Norwalk when he should have attended schools in Bridgeport, her last permanent address.
McDowell told police she was living in a van and occasionally slept at a Norwalk shelter or a friend's Bridgeport apartment when she enrolled her son Norwalk's Brookside Elementary School.
Police said McDowell stole $15,686 worth of 'free' educational services from Norwalk.
Mr Crosland said: 'You shouldn't be arrested for stealing a free education. It's just wrong.
I was sent to an elementary public school out-of-district for me. We wanted the best possible education. This New England education system needs to be checked
Meanwhile my grandfather was hit by a car and killed last year and all the man got was a suspension on his license. Money is so much more important than life unfortunately.
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