A Car Hit and Killed Their 7-Year-Old Son. Now They’re Being Charged for Letting Him Walk to the Store.
A mom and dad are grieving in Gastonia, North Carolina. Their 7-year-old son, Legend, was tragically killed by a car after running into the street on a walk to the store with his 10-year-old brother.Â
If you were tasked with determining a punishment for the parents, would you: A) arrest them for manslaughter, set bail at $1.5 million, and forbid them from attending their son’s funeral, or B) decide this tragedy has been punishment enough?
Authorities in Gastonia chose option A.
Jessica Ivey and Samuele Jenkins are facing felony charges of involuntary manslaughter and child neglect, as well as a misdemeanor child neglect charge, according to The NC Beat.
The tragedy occurred on May 27. Ivey claimed it was the first time she allowed the kids to walk to the store. A witness to the accident said the older boy tried to grab his little brother from running, but he broke away.
The Gastonia Police Department issued a statement on its Facebook page, saying that while it extended its “deepest sympathies” to the parents for their “heartbreaking loss,” the investigation revealed that the children were unsupervised during their walk.
As if that’s a smoking gun. As if no kids have ever walked unsupervised to the store. As if every parent who lets their kids run an errand is guilty of a crime.
“In such cases, adults must be held accountable for their responsibilities to ensure a safe environment for thei
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