A troubling twist has emerged in the high-profile case of Mick Patel, the Cobb County man accused of attempting to kidnap an infant from a local Walmart. New evidence reveals that Caroline Miller, the accuser, edited a 2021 Facebook post just days after Patel’s arrest, raising urgent questions about her credibility and the conduct of the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office.
Read the related Cobb Voice article – Indicted Without Evidence? Cobb DA Faces Scrutiny After Walmart Video Raises Serious Doubts
The Facebook Post That Sparked Suspicion
In a post dated September 13, 2021, Caroline Miller can be seen smiling, holding a baby on her hip while openly carrying a handgun. The caption reads:
“Keeping my girl safe from the kidnappers cuz
who wouldn’t steal such a cutie. 😳”
The problem with this post is that it refers to the infant’s older sibling since it was posted 3 ½ years ago. That same post was quietly edited on April 15, 2025, at 10:00 p.m., just days after Patel’s arrest, an edit that has drawn scrutiny from legal observers and community watchdogs alike. The original and edited versions have since been screenshotted and are shown below.
The Alleged Kidnapping at Walmart
In March 2025, Miller told Acworth police that Patel attempted to kidnap her infant while she was shopping at Walmart in a motorized cart. She claimed he physically tried to pull the baby from her lap.
However, it has since come to light that Miller is not handicapped and was allegedly giving her children a joyride in the electric cart.
Furthermore, critics say her 2021 Facebook post, edited after the arrest, suggests a longstanding fixation or paranoia about child abduction, and potentially undermines her claims.
Despite repeated media requests, Miller has refused to comment on the post or clarify its contents.
Legal Concerns and DA Scrutiny
The case has raised serious alarms among legal professionals, especially regarding the District Attorney’s handling. Patel’s attorney, Ashleigh Merchant, was not notified before the indictment and had planned for a preliminary hearing.
Merchant said, “I found the (Facebook) information rather easily but the DA did not reach out to me prior to indictment so I was unable to share anything with them. I did not expect this case to be indicted so quickly since we had a probable cause hearing set which typically happens before indictment. It is very rare for a case, especially in Cobb County, to go to a grand jury before the probable cause hearing.”
Georgia law allows District Attorneys wide discretion in case processing, but Merchant made it clear that what happened here is far from standard procedure.
“I think it is very important to look at the change in the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office and how this case is being handled.”
“Historically in Cobb County, those who were arrested would be seriously considered for a consent bond by the District Attorney’s Office and only detained without bond in the worst cases. However, Fulton County has a long history of holding people who should be granted bond without bond.”
On the other hand, Merchant explained, “Cobb County has always had a much smarter approach where they permit those accused to be released on pretrial supervision or even with an ankle monitor so that the jail was not so overcrowded and so the taxpayers did not have to carry the burden of paying for a large jail population.”
“Additionally, historically the DA’s office would not circumvent the adversarial process of a probable cause hearing where a judge determines which charges move forward and also where the defense can question the state’s evidence and case. That process was circumvented in this case by the DA taking this matter directly to the grand jury where the defense is not permitted to present any evidence or even know what the State’s evidence is.”
Patel’s attorney expressed her frustration by saying, “It is an entirely one-sided secret process controlled entirely by the District Attorney’s Office. This practice has never been common in Cobb County but appears to be something that the newly elected DA has brought with her from her time in Fulton County where the practice is common.”
Community Outrage and GOP Response
The incident has sent shockwaves through the Cobb County community, where residents are increasingly voicing fears over potential abuse of prosecutorial power.
The Cobb County Republican Party is now actively stepping in to support Patel’s right to due process, supporting a petition to grant him bond while he awaits trial.
Cobb County GOP Chairwoman Mary Clarice Hathaway didn’t hold back:
“On the surface of it, this case appears to be completely egregious on so many different levels. To take someone’s freedom away should not be done flippantly by a district attorney—Democrat or Republican.”
Hathaway said, “While this is not an election issue, we are stepping in because it is simply the right thing to do.”
A Pattern of Allegations?
Adding fuel to the fire, Miller is no stranger to controversy. In 2021, she accused a Lyft driver of raping her. However, police records later showed the report did not support a charge of rape. Miller joined a class-action lawsuit against Lyft shortly afterward.
Later, she reportedly purchased a $405,000 home in cash near the Walmart where the current incident took place. No mortgage appears to be recorded on the property, another fact raising eyebrows among community members following the case.
The Questions That Remain
Conservatives and legal watchdogs are now asking the tough questions:
- Why was this case rushed to a grand jury before a probable cause hearing?
- Why is Mick Patel still being held without bond, despite questionable evidence?
- Has the Cobb DA imported tactics from Fulton County that undermine due process?
- Does Miller’s social media history reflect paranoia that fueled a false claim?
- Is race playing an unspoken role in the public narrative and legal handling?
Call to Action
Unless compelling new evidence is presented, many believe it is time to grant bond, restore due process, and demand full transparency from the DA’s office.
View the full surveillance video (below) and sign the petition to support Mr. Patel
Help Mahendra Patel to Get Justice
Or you you can send a direct email asking the Courts to grant Mr. Patel immediate release on a bond. Judge Ann B. Harris is the Chief Justice for Cobb County Superior Court system. You can email her at ann.harris@cobbcounty.org.
