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Georgia mom and substitute teacher Julie Giles was informed that there was a warrant out for her arrest May 14 after her son Sam racked up six unexcused absences for being sick, WTOC reports. Giles turned herself into police after she learned about the warrant.

"I am home. I was actually placed in ankle shackles!!" she wrote on Facebook after turning herself in. "I was told that doing so is procedure. I was respectful and followed directions." Screven county sheriff Mike Kile told PEOPLE that shackling people is standard procedure for anyone who is arrested in the county.

The Screven County school district, where the Giles family lives, allows children to have six excused sick days where just a parent's note suffices. Any absences after those six days need proof other than a parent's note to be considered excused. When a child has six unexcused absences, the school policy dictates that "a court referral may be made for either state court, juvenile court or both," and that "documentation will be given to the School Resource Officer for the purpose of obtaining a warrant for the enrolling parent, guardian, or other person."

Giles claims a doctor reissued notes for three of Sam's twelve sick days, which her son didn't turn in, meaning Giles was essentially arrested over three unexcused absences. According to Screven County Schools superintendent William Bland, this is not the first time a parent has been arrested due to unexcused absences: "It's important for these children to be in school and I think the courts recognize that," he told WTOC.

Accoding to Giles's Facebook page, her son is a great student despite his absences from school. "Sam's grades are 4 A's and 4 B's," she wrote after her arrest. She told Fox News that because co-pays are sometimes higher than she can afford, she sometimes keeps Sam home from school and lets him recover there when he does not absolutely need the medical attention. She said she does this so as not to infect other children. On days like those, it's difficult to get a doctor's note for Sam's absence.

PEOPLE reports that Giles is due in court July 14. She faces fines up to $1,000 and up to 12 months of jail time.

In the meantime, the Giles family is receiving pro bono legal consulting from the National Association of Parents, a GoFundMe page explains. Any money donated there will help with any extra legal costs that the Giles might incur over the next few months fighting the charges. Giles told Fox News she and her family are now planning to move out of Screven County.

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Tess Koman Senior Editor Tess Koman covers breaking (food) news, opinion pieces, and features on larger happenings in the food world.

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