Mother to sue after wet T-shirt leads to arrest

When Janet Lovett took her 7-year-old son to Tavares Splash Park this spring, she never thought police would slap handcuffs on her and haul her off to the Lake County Jail after her T-shirt and bra became wet.

Lovett was arrested because she refused to give an officer her name after she was told to cover up. She was booked on a misdemeanor count of obstructing an officer without violence. However, the State Attorney's Office declined to file charges.



Last week, the 36-year-old Eustis homemaker informed Tavares that she intends to sue the city for malicious prosecution, false arrest, battery and violation of her civil rights in connection with the flap at Wooton Park.

"She was minding her own business," Winter Park attorney Howard Marks, who is representing Lovett, said Thursday. "She was taking her child to a splash park and then winds up five hours in jail. That's a bad day."

There's a news video on this page and an interview with Ms Lovett here.