Single Mother 'Arrested for Grass' After Not Mowing

Authorities in a small town near St. Louis reportedly arrested a single mother of five last week for failing to mow her grass.

Ebony Conner told KMOV-TV she was asked orally to neaten her lawn and relocate cars from her driveway two weeks before suddenly being arrested for not mowing.

“I’ve never heard of being arrested for grass,” Conner told the local news station. ”Had I [known] that, hell, I would have gone back and chopped the grass off myself with something.”

KMOV-TV reporter Courtney Bryant reviewed a copy of the written complaint issued to Conner, and confirmed with officials in Cahokia, Illinois, that Conner was detained for about 30 minutes, during which time her children were left alone with an inspector remaining outside her home. Bryant reported Conner has an August court date.

Similar stories of strict enforcement of municipal lawn-care rules occasionally make the news around the country, though generally there are intermediate steps before an arrest.

In March, a 70-year-old woman was handcuffed and taken to jail in Alabama after allegedly ignoring a citation for overgrown grass.

Last year, a 75-year-old Texas woman had a warrant issued for her arrest after failing to appear at a court date for an unkempt lawn, months after a fellow Texan served a short jail sentence as punishment for nearly two decades of ignoring local lawn-related fines.

Conner told KMOV-TV she believes she should have been issued a ticket or court summons before being taken to jail.

Cahokia officials could not be reached by U.S. News for comment on Monday.

A clerk said the St. Clair County Circuit Court had not yet received paperwork for the case. The Cahokia Police Department’s records division would not release any case records without a Freedom of Information Act request.

A website for Cahokia's town government is not operational, making it difficult to efficiently learn details about the town's current lawn-maintenance rules. A number listed online for the mayor rang without answer.

The chief of police’s office did not return a request for comment, nor did Robert Darnell, supervisor of the city’s code enforcement division.

On a Facebook page called Cahokia Community News, locals debated whether the full story has been aired and shared anecdotes about non-enforcement of mowing rules.

“My next door neighbor's grass is much higher than hers and she doesn't get in trouble for it, but then my neighbor is related to a Cahokia Code Enforcement officer too,” one commented.

Watch: Conner talks to KMOV-TV: