Mom With No Babysitter Takes Her Baby Triplets & 5-Year-Old Daughter To Jury Duty To Avoid A Fine

Aug 18, 2023

A Utah mom-of-four found herself in a unique situation when she received a summons for jury duty and couldn't secure a babysitter. Torrey Scow faced this challenge in June 2023 when she was informed of her civic duty, which, unfortunately, coincided with her babysitter's vacation. 

With her husband Kory Scow tied up with work, Torrey embarked on an adventurous journey to the courthouse with her energetic quartet of youngsters: 18-month-old triplets Lexi, Zoey and Lincoln, and 5-year-old Emory. The court-bound escapade proved quite the experience for Torrey and her kids as they tackled the demands of jury duty together.

Torrey recounted that she sent a picture to the court to illustrate the challenge of finding childcare for her little ones. She assumed that her situation would merit an exemption or a rescheduled date if court officials would see her predicament. However, she was surprised when she was assigned a date just a few days away from receiving the summons.

According to Jury Duty 101, potential jurors who fail to appear in court when summoned may be fined $1,000 or imprisoned for 30 days in Utah. Because Torrey wanted to avoid these fees and inconveniences, the resilient mother decided to bring her children upon the advice of her husband, who also believed they would be sent back home anyway.

However, things didn't go the way the family expected. What Torrey thought was a short time in the courthouse lasted for two and a half hours with her children. The mother navigated the often-silent courtroom by doing her best to keep the triplets occupied with snacks.

Despite her efforts, the courtroom atmosphere became anything but quiet. The energetic triplets soon began to assert their presence with their loud screams, and caused quite a stir among the other jurors. 

"I think they ate more snacks than they ever had in their lives at that point because it was the only thing that was keeping them quiet," Torrey said. She added, "They start screaming, but they're in this stage where they scream at the top of their lungs. It's not possible to get one baby quiet, let alone three."

Torrey humorously revealed that the triplets even had a diaper mishap during the proceedings. As the hours ticked by, Torrey continued to manage her kids while the judge posed questions to potential jurors. She recounted how the situation was both physically and emotionally taxing, especially as she was the sole caregiver for her young children. Her daughter Emory, on the other hand, remained well-behaved throughout the ordeal.

Eventually, a kind officer provided the children with a bin of toys to keep them occupied. After approximately two and a half hours, the judge decided to release her and another individual from their jury duty responsibilities. With a mixture of relief and exhaustion, Torrey and her kids left the courthouse.

The mother shared snippets of their time on jury duty on her Instagram and described the experience as a "nightmare." 

"I felt so bad for everyone in there with us! Definitely one of my worst mom moments! But it’s over now thank goodness!" 

Yet, Torrey said she wouldn't trade her life with four kids for anything else. Doctors told her she couldn't have a baby because of her medicine for an autoimmune disease. Thus, Emory was born via surrogate, but when Torrey’s medication changed, she was able to carry the triplets for 32 weeks.

"It can be so stressful but it's so worth it for three times the laughs, three times the smiles, three times the cuddles,” the mom told People.

Torrey Scow embraced the chaos that comes with parenting! What would you have done if this happened to you? Do you know anyone in the same situation as her? Pass this story along to busy mothers in your social media circle!