Orange County Register

A single mom in Georgia could face criminal charges because she missed her deployment flight due to childcare issues. Alexis Hutchinson, 21, had made arrangements with her mother to watch her 10-month-old son for a year while she served in Afghanistan, but after two weeks, her mom realized the burden was too much to bear.

Alexis spoke to her superior about the situation, and according to The Associated Press:

Her civilian attorney, Rai Sue Sussman, said Monday that one of Hutchinson’s superiors told her she would have to deploy anyway and place the child in foster care.

So Alexis skipped the flight, because she decided that facing the consequences was better than abandoning her child.

Now, not coming from a military family myself, I should admit right off the bat that I know close to nothing about the goings-on in situations such as these. I do know from the news stories that Alexis joined the service in 2007, but has since signed a single parents care plan for soldiers before being deployed.

Her plan: Her mother would watch her child. But plans changed. Life happens.

I know in my heart of hearts that I would have done the exact same thing. Fearing they would put my child in some stranger’s home, I would never have shown up for that flight.

While I am a single parent, I know that I am fortunate to have back-up plans. My son’s father — and that side of the family — is incredibly involved in his life, and always will be. But a back-up plan while I’m gone for a whole year? That would be tough to find, and I’m betting one of the most nerve-wracking favors I’d ever have to ask of my loved ones. In fact, I’m still having trouble asking someone to take my monster for a night here, or a weekend there. There’s no way I would have just left, not knowing for sure in whose hands my child was going to end up.

For the time being, Alexis’ deployment has been halted, and an investigation is under way.

As a parent, single or not, what would you have done?