The Feel Good Story That Fell Apart GoFundMe Issues Refunds Behind The Scenes

GoFundMe has begun refunding contributors who donated to a Georgia father arrested for leaving his children unattended at a local McDonald’s playground while he purportedly attended a job interview. Chris Louis, 24, faced charges for deprivation of a minor on March 22, as reported by The Augusta Press. On that day, a customer at the Augusta McDonald’s spotted three youngsters—ages 1, 6, and 10—playing alone. The concerned patron contacted 911, and upon the deputy’s arrival, the children were found without adult supervision. A witness observed Louis with them around 4:30 p.m. before he left the restaurant and returned shortly after.Louis explained to authorities that he had walked with his kids from their apartment but did not want to leave them on their own during the interview. His children were later collected by their mother. Amid an outpouring of social media support, former NFL player Antonio Brown launched a GoFundMe campaign for the family, raising over $50,000 by May. However, inconsistencies in Louis’ account prompted inquiries from law enforcement.