Mom smacked with $89k fine after kids collect clams thinking they were seashells

In California, a mother of five children received a fine of $88,993 when her kids mistakenly collected 72 clams, believing them to be seashells.

In late 2023, Charlotte Russ, a mother of five, and her family went on a vacation to Pismo Beach in California. While collecting seashells with her children, they were approached by a wildlife officer who informed them that the items they were collecting were not actually seashells.

“According to Russ, while my kids were under the impression that they were collecting seashells, they were actually gathering 72 clams. However, the officer on the beach informed us that collecting clams is regulated, and issued a ticket immediately.”

According to Charlotte, who spoke to ABC 7, the incident “ruined”the trip and things only got worse when she received a notice demanding payment of over $88,000.

The mother had to clarify to her children that while at the beach, they should not touch anything. She also taught them the difference between a clam and a seashell, as they were previously unaware. She had to explain this concept to them.

Charlotte appeared in court to contest the expensive ticket and clarified the misunderstanding to the San Luis Obispo County Judge. As a result, she successfully negotiated for the fine to be reduced to a mere $500.

“She remarked that the trip to Pismo was certainly a costly one, but also one that she will never forget.”

Despite the initial confusion that made their trip to the beach more stressful, the mom made it clear that she could now laugh about the experience. In an interview with a news publication, she even joked about getting a tattoo of a shellfish as a souvenir from the trip.

In a statement, Lt. Matthew Gil from the Department of Fish and Wildlife explained the reasoning behind the state’s regulations on clam-collecting.

“The speaker explained that the regulations exist to allow the clams to reach a size of four-and-a-half inches, as this is necessary for them to reproduce and produce offspring annually. Additionally, these regulations also aim to protect the juvenile clams.”

This is not the only instance where an individual has become internet famous after being hit with a substantial fine. In the beginning of May 2024, a TikTok user received an email from the nearby library informing her that she had accumulated nearly $12,000 in overdue charges for books she had been keeping at home.