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Star-Telegram Columnist's Actions Get Him Arrested

Dave Lieber Says He Made Serious Parenting Mistake

Column Suspended While Case Is Debated

(CBS 11 News) Fort Worth Star-Telegram columnist Dave Lieber bonded out of jail Tuesday after he turned himself into Watauga Police for leaving his 11-year-old son at a fast-food restaurant a couple of weeks ago.
 
Lieber, dubbed The Watchdog, wrote about the Aug. 13 incident at a Watauga McDonald's restaurant in a recent column.

He said the incident escalated after his son wanted to leave the restaurant before his father was ready.

The two argued as Lieber tried to finish his meal. The elder even wrote the two sat at separate tables for part of their time at the restaurant.

"I tried to ignore him. But my buttons were pushed. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. I stormed out of the restaurant and told him to walk the few blocks home. I got in the car and drove off.," Lieber wrote.

The father said he was only gone a few minutes. Concerned patrons called police and they talked to Lieber when he returned.

"My son apologized to me, and I apologized to him. The officer asked if we were OK to go home. Properly chastened, we were," Mr. Lieber wrote.
In his column, Lieber said he regretted his actions. "I made a stupid and quite serious mistake," he wrote.

The 51-year-old turned himself into the Tarrant County Jail on Tuesday morning, authorities said. According to reports, he was arrested on two felony warrants, one for child abandonment with intent to return and the other for child abandonment/endangering a child. He was released on $4,000 bail.

Police will refer the case to the Tarrant County district attorney, who will determine whether to file charges.

Lieber is suspended from writing his column while the case moves through the judicial system. "Then we'll have to see what the result is before we make any further decisions concerning this," Star-Telegram Executive Editor Jim Witt said.

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