An Alabama couple is suing Tennessee authorities for $15 million after they were wrongly arrested on DUI and child abuse charges, resulting in them losing custody of their children for months despite no evidence of intoxication.
On February 24, 2024, Nicholas and Elizabeth Frye were celebrating their child's seventh birthday at a Tennessee resort when Elizabeth slipped and injured herself, AL reported.
While returning from a Walmart trip to buy medical supplies, the couple was pulled over by Sevierville police without apparent probable cause.
Officers accused Nicholas Frye of driving under the influence and arrested both parents on multiple charges, including DUI and child abuse, despite no immediate testing being conducted.
Their two children were placed in state custody, later transferred to their grandmother, and remained separated from their parents for more than nine months.
The Fryes later proved that Nicholas Frye had no drugs or alcohol in his system at the time of the arrest. Despite the lack of evidence, the Tennessee Department of Children's Services and Alabama's Department of Human Resources kept the children from their parents for nearly a year.
On Tuesday, the Fryes filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Sevierville, its police department, three officers, and Tennessee's child welfare agency, alleging violations of their constitutional rights and seeking $14.98 million in damages for emotional distress and reputational harm.
The lawsuit highlights the severe emotional and psychological toll the ordeal has taken on the family.
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