Dad arrested for taking daughter’s phone away

A 36-year-old US man has been found not guilty of property theft, after he was arrested and charged for taking away his daughter’s cell phone in an act of discipline, the Washington Post reported on Sunday.

Ronald Jackson took away his daughter’s cell phone over a Whatsapp message she had sent to her friend.
“I don’t like his ratchet girlfriend or her kids,” the message read.

The message was referring to Ronald's new girlfriend.Ronald and the daughter’s mom, Michelle Steppe, had been separated for some time, but shared custody of their 12-year-old girl. 

The phone was bought for their daughter by Steppe and her new fiancé, but was paid for on Jackson’s cellular plan.

According to local TV station WFAA, Jackson confiscated the cell phone after seeing the message. His daughter then went to a friend’s house and called her mom. Police were sent to Jackson’s home and, while there, they tried to get the phone back, to which Jackson refused.

“I decided the police don’t interfere with my ability to parent my daughter,” he told the TV station.
The mom said she respected Jackson’s decision in parenting his daughter, but felt he should have given his daughter the phone back eventually.

She would later send a demand letter after he refused a second time.