Smyrna Runaway Greeted with Slaps

Shaneka Shounta Rouse of Smyrna did what any mother would do if their child ran away from home.

She searched for her.

But when Rouse found her 15-year-old daughter at Rose Garden Park with two other teen girls, Smyrna police said mother and child did not exchange a warm embrace.

Instead, Rouse allegedly slapped her daughter multiple times and "forcefully" attempted to pull the child in her car, according to a Cobb County criminal warrant.

A Smyrna police officer and a 5-year-old girl in the passenger seat of Rouse's 2002 Nissan Altima witnessed it all unfold about 10 p.m. May 28, records show.

Once Rouse was done with her daughter, she moved on to the girl's teenage friends, who tried to help their friend.

"Accused retrieved a tire iron from the truck of her silver ... 2002 Nissan Altima ... before raising the object above her head while advancing toward" the friends, 15 and 17.

Both teens ran away, and later told police that they were scared Rouse was going to hurt them.

Rouse was arrested on charges that include three counts of cruelty to children in the third degree, two counts of aggravated assault, one count of battery and one count of failure to stop at a stop sign. She was released May 30 on a $20,000 bond.