A mother of five in Texas faced the threat of arrest over library books that her county claimed were never returned. Kaylee Morgan borrowed books about Vincent van Gogh from Navasota Public Library in Grimes County, Texas, in March 2023. She insisted that she returned all the books, but one was too big to fit in a returns box. Court documents showed a bill of $569.50, mostly fines and court fees, and a city ordinance violation. Morgan discovered the warrant for her arrest when she tried to renew her driver’s license.
Morgan, who homeschools her children and had a difficult pregnancy when the books were due, scheduled a meeting with the county judge. She explained that she returned the books and the system was down when they tried to return one book. The judge, however, was unsympathetic, likening the overdue library books to stealing from Walmart and stating that the warrant would still be in effect until Morgan paid the fines to renew her driver’s license. Morgan was shocked and mentioned that she received overwhelming support from the community.
The judge cautioned Morgan that she would be arrested in front of her children if she drove in Grimes County without paying the $600 ticket. Morgan was adamant that she did not receive the warrant herself, and that she was completely unaware of it. She raised over $1,300 through GoFundMe to pay off the fines and plans to hire a lawyer to have the situation removed from her record. Morgan experienced a mix of positive and negative responses from the community, with some questioning whether she had actually returned the book or accusing her of starting a smear campaign.
Despite the legal actions taken against her, Morgan has not heard back from the authorities since publicizing her situation. She remains determined to clear her name and is working to have the entire matter resolved. Fox News Digital reached out to the Navasota County judge, the Grimes County judge, and the city manager for Navasota for a response, but has not received any updates. The incident has gained attention for its unusual circumstances and the harsh consequences faced by the mother of five over overdue library books. Morgan’s case highlights the challenges faced by individuals dealing with legal repercussions stemming from seemingly minor issues.
