Martin County woman arrested after walking through downtown Stuart with pending COVID-19 test

Stuart Police arrested a Martin County woman accused of failing to quarantine or isolate herself while waiting to receive the results of her COVID-19 test.

Wednesday, police say 38-year-old Melissa Barton was seen walking in downtown Stuart.

LOCAL ARREST FOR SOMEONEACCUSED OF VIOLATING THEGOVERNORMARTIN COUNTY WOMAN WASARRESTED, WALKING THROUGHDOWNTOWN STUART AFTER BEINGTESTED FOR COVID-19 -- WITHOUTKNOWING HER RESULTS!!

WPTVNEWSCHANNEL 5'S MEGHMCROBERTS REPORTS.<< LIVE: AN ARREST REPORT SAYSMULTIPLE BUSINESS OWNERS INSTUART COMPLAINED TO POLICEWHEN THEY SAW THE WOMANWALKING THROUGH DOWNTOWN.SAYING THEY HAD SEEN HERTALKING ABOUT HER POSSIBLECOVID-19 ON FACEBOOK.

PKG00:10:12:20“THEYPUT ME IN CUFFS.

THEYPUTTING ME IN CUFFS RIGHTNOW” 38 YEAR OLD MELISSABARTON RECORDING HER ARREST TOFACEBOOK LIVE FROM HER CELLPHONE& SAYING SHE WASAPPROACHED BY STUART POLICEWHILE WALKING THROUGHDOWNTOWN.

00:03:40:06“ACOUPLE OF MY DETECTIVES GOTSOME PHONE CALLS FROM THEDOWNTOWN BUSINESS PEOPLE WHO IGUESS IDENTIFIED THIS WOMANFROM FACEBOOK.

THE INITIALCALL WAS THE CONCERNS SHECOULD BE COVID POSITIVE”ACCORDING TO A POLICE REPORT&BEFORE THIS ENCOUNTER WITHPOLICE, BARTON HAD BEENPOSTING TO SOCIAL MEDIA THATSHE WAS TESTED FOR COVID-19 11DAYS AGO& AFTER EXPERIENCINGSYMPTOMS. BUT SHE STILL HADNRECEIVED RESULTS.

POLICE SAY -A WITNESS TOLD POLICE THEY HAD“GRAVE CONCERN FOR THE SAFETYAND HEALTH OF THEMSELVES ANDOTHER” 00:05:13:14“THIS LADYLEFT OUR HANDS TIED AND WE HADTO TAKE HER TO THE MARTINCOUNTY JAIL” ACCORDING TO THEGOVERNORANYONE WHO MEETS THE CDCDEFINITION OF A PERSON UNDERINVESTIGATION IS SUPPOSED TOBE ISOLATED OR QUARANTINED FOR14 DAYS& OR UNTIL SOMEONE GETSA NEGATIVE TEST RESULT.

BUTWITH TESTING DELAYS& BARTON ISAMONG THOSE STILL WAITINGLONGER THAN EXPECTED FORRESULTS ACCORDING TO HERSOCIAL MEDIA& BARTON SAYS SHEWAS SOCIAL DISTANCING DAYSBEFORE ACTUALLY RECEIVING HERTEST.

00:09:50:11“WE ARE IN ASTATE OF EMERGENCY, IT IS AGOVERNMENT EXECUTIVE ORDERWHICH IS ENFORCEABLE AND WEENFORCED IT” BUT POLICE DONTWANT TO ALARM RESIDENTS...CALLING THIS AN EXTREME CASE.00:08:52:24“THE INTENT IS NOTTO ARREST.

THE INTENT IS TOEDUCATE AND ASK FORCOMPLIANCE” SAYING THEY MAKEARRESTS AS A LAST RESORT.00:06:24:24“BUT IF MYOFFICERS DO COME ACROSSSOMEONE, A GROUP OF TEN ORMORE, THEYTHEM HEY, PRACTICE SOCIALDISTANCING, WEMAKE ARRESTS ON THAT... IF ICAN GET SOMEBODY TO GO HOMEWHO NEEDS TO GO HOME, THEYGO HOME” TAG: THE OFFICERSCAR WAS SPECIALLY CLEANED ANDTHE JAIL NOTIFIED TO TAKESPECIAL PRECAUTIONS.

BARTONWAS RELEASED WITH AN ANKLEMONITOR CONFINING HER TO HERHOME UNTIL SHE GETS A NEGATIVETEST.