Breastfeeding mom claims deputy threatened to arrest her for being 'offensive'

A woman who was breastfeeding in Columbus, Georgia, took to Facebook after claiming a deputy threatened to arrest her for doing so, saying some may find it "offensive."

Savvy Shukla uploaded a lengthy post to Facebook on Sunday explaining the incident. Shukla said she was at Piggly Wiggly with her sister and two children when a deputy came up to her.

>> Read the Facebook post here

Shukla said she told the deputy that Georgia law allows her to breastfeed in public. The deputy then fired back, she said.

“You just THINK you know what the law says and if your nipple becomes exposed I really don’t want to have to arrest you or you be arrested for being offensive. This isn’t like the first amendment where you can say something offensive,” Shukla claimed the angry deputy told her.

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“I’m so upset about it and I understand why this type of harassment can cause moms to stop,” she added.

Muscogee County Sheriff John T. Darr wrote about the incident on his Facebook page Monday morning and clarified that breastfeeding is legal in Georgia.

"We are currently looking into this incident, and it will be addressed," Darr wrote. "Our office does not condone these actions and will ensure all officers know and understand the law. On behalf of the Muscogee County Sheriff's Office, I would like to personally extend an apology to the woman involved, and we hope that she knows that these are not the opinions or practices of the office as a whole."

>> Read the full post here

Good Morning, I have seen and am aware of a post circulating Facebook, regarding a situation between a Muscogee County...

Posted by Sheriff John T. Darr on Monday, September 26, 2016

Later, Darr told the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer that he talked to the deputy, who said he only told Shukla that she might want to "cover up" after customers approached him.

"I think she had the mindset that he said that she couldn't (breastfeed), and that's so far from the truth," Darr told the Ledger-Enquirer. "That's my problem. People put that stuff out there on Facebook without getting all the facts."

Shukla took to Facebook again to respond to the article.

"I am FURIOUS!" she wrote. "No the Deputy didn't just tell me to cover and leave it at that. He ARGUED with me about the law and told me I just 'THINK' I know the law and THREATENED TO ARREST ME or that I'd be ARRESTED IN THE FUTURE. Are you kidding me!?"

>> Read the post here

I am FURIOUS! No the Deputy didn't just tell me to cover and leave it at that. He ARGUED with me about the law and...

Posted by Savvy Shukla on Monday, September 26, 2016

– The Cox Media Group National Content Desk contributed to this report.

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