Tennessee woman sent to jail over overgrown yard

LENOIR CITY, Tenn. - A Tennessee woman who fell behind on her yard work was cited by code enforcers and served a stint in jail due to her overgrown property.

Karen Holloway tells CBS affiliate WVLT that the issue started in the summer, when the city sent the citation. She admits she didn't properly maintain her yard in Lenoir City in East Tennessee and says it had overgrown trees and bushes, but she says she didn't deserve jail time. She says she fell behind because of personal family issues.

"With my husband going to school and working full time, me with my job, with one vehicle, we were trying our best," Holloway, a mother of two, told the station.

The station reports that Judge Terry Vann heard the case last week and handed down a five-day jail sentence but amended it Tuesday to six hours.

"It's not right," Holloway told the station of her sentence. "Why would you put me in jail with child molesters and people who've done real crimes, because I haven't maintained my yard."

"I feel like I'm being bullied," she added.

Holloway turned herself to be jailed Tuesday.

WVLT says neither Vann nor Police Chief Don White could be reached for comment.

Judge Vann set a follow-up hearing in the case for November to check up on the condition of Holloway's yard. He suggested he might add on more jail time if the city isn't satisfied with the clean-up.