After teenager Abigail Mills was caught stealing, her father, Gary, decided to use it as a learning opportunity for more than just her daughter. Since the state of Indiana lacked a program that would show teenagers what the inside of a jail cell looked like, he made the punishment of his daughter not just a learning experience but a political statement.
On July 23, 2015, Gary posted a video to his Facebook, showing Abigail outside the Wayne County Courthouse holding a sign that introduced her by name and explained that she was a liar and a thief. It even said that she stole Christmas presents from her 9-year-old cousin.
Two more videos were shot that same day, one outside the Wayne County Sheriff’s Correctional Center and the other outside the police department. In each video, he explains that he loves his daughter and he always will, but he doesn’t want her to go to jail and he wanted to show her where the continued theft will lead her.
It’s not clear if this kind of punishment will work in the long run. However, Abigail posted to Facebook on her own account, saying that she’s learned her lesson and she’s actually glad her father acted the way he did. She’s sure his actions will keep her out of jail.
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Posted by Gary Mills on Thursday, July 23, 2015