An 82-year-old woman in Alabama, United States, was arrested on Sunday over an unpaid rubbish bill of $77.80 (£63.28). Martha Louis Menefield said she was confused when officers handcuffed her at her home in the City of Valley.
In a Facebook statement, Police Chief Mike Reynolds said Ms Menefield was treated respectfully and released on bond. He noted that she had been notified multiple times about the unpaid bill over three months and had received a citation in August. A warrant was issued after she failed to appear in court in September.
Ms Menefield told CBS News she initially laughed when officers arrived, thinking it was a joke. She said she was unaware of the unpaid bill and had never received a court notice. She recalled telling an officer, 'How would you feel if they came and arrested your grandmama?'
Following her arrest, she was held briefly at the police station in what she described as a 'little cage-like thing.' The arrest has drawn widespread criticism online, with former state attorney Donald Watkins calling for accountability.
