It takes a village.

A mother who left her 14-year-old special needs son at an Atlanta hospital last week was shocked to find out a group of mothers showed up to court Thursday in support of her during her child cruelty hearing.

According to Atlanta’s NBC-affiliate WXIA-TV, Diana Elliott reportedly told police that she was “overwhelmed” with the duties of caring for a son with Down syndrome along with three other children while also living out of a hotel. She said she thought she was dropping him off at a place he would be safe.

Police said the boy was found wandering around outside of the hospital alone and alleged that he was malnourished, WXIA reported. The boy is said to be non-verbal. He and his three siblings are in the care of Georgia’s Division of Family and Children Services.

A group of women who founded the group Black Mothers Bail Out were prepared to pay Elliott’s bond.

Their money wasn’t needed, as the judge released her on a signature bond, which essentially allows her to be free until her next court date.

Elliott has no previous criminal record and has never been arrested, according to the station.

Mothers in the support group who have Down Syndrome children sat together in the courtroom with tissues and cried when the judge made the ruling, WXIA reported.

One mother told the station that last week’s news of the abandonment got the Down syndrome community talking, not about Elliott’s alleged actions being wrong, but rather how they could help.

“From one mom to another, I am grieving for her,” Meagan Nash said. “But I want her to know the Down syndrome community — we are not judging. We are standing by her, ready to help.”

Another mother in the group offered to take in Elliott and all of her children when a prosecutor asked where Elliott would live if she were released.

Adding more support on Elliott’s behalf, her lawyer, who normally works about 85 miles away from Atlanta, agreed to handle the case pro bono. He has three adopted sons with Down syndrome and, like the support group, agrees that jail is not the proper place for Elliott, the station reported.

Despite assistance from various sources, Elliott still faces the child cruelty charge and will more than likely have an uphill battle in efforts to retrieve her children from Georgia’s DFCS.

But she’s not alone in the fight.

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