Insane: mother jailed for letting 9-year old play alone

Debra Harrell was jailed for letting her nine-year-old play unsupervised, raising questions about how kids learn independence.

The Economist has a special on helicopter parents. Unbelievable:

“In South Carolina this month Debra Harrell was jailed for letting her nine-year-old daughter play in a park unsupervised. The child, who had a mobile phone and had not been harmed in any way, was briefly taken into custody of the social services.”

How are kids supposed to learn independence?