An Alabama mother appeared in court on Tuesday, where she was confronted with the devastating news that her 7-year-old son perished in a car accident for which she is allegedly responsible.
Delyshia Molette, 34, is facing a series of charges including manslaughter, assault, resisting arrest, attempting to elude law enforcement, and robbery, according to News 5 reports.
During a bond hearing, Mobile County District Attorney Keith Blackwood disclosed that Molette had been driving with her two children, aged 7 and 11, when the vehicle crashed into a light pole. The incident occurred on Monday at the intersection of Schillinger and Howells Ferry roads in Mobile.
Tragically, neither of the children was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident.
Blackwood explained that Molette had been fleeing following an investigation from the previous day, in which she was accused of theft and assaulting a police officer.
Al.com reported that Molette was visibly shocked upon learning in court that one of her children had died in the crash.
Molette appeared stunned when she learned one of her children had died, Al.com reports.
“Did you say he died? My 7-year-old died?”
The 11-year-old is in critical condition with a brain bleed, according to testimony.
Court documents indicated that the incident began after the defendant allegedly shoplifted Monday at a Publix store on Schillingers Road.
When a police officer stopped her, Mollette allegedly “gouged his eyes” and then ran away on foot, court documents stated.
“When the officer confronted the suspect, she took off running,” Semmes Police Chief Todd Friend told FOX10 News. “The officer caught up to her, and a struggle ensued. And she was able to get her hands, her fingers, inside of the officer’s eyes.”
Later on Monday, police spotted her driving an Infiniti SUV. They initially gave chase but stopped around a minute later, when they noticed children in the car.
“He slowed down, basically let her go,” Friend said. “We can only assume why she kept driving at a high rate of speed.”
Molette reportedly claimed that she fled because she did not want the Department of Human Resources to remove her children.
Friend added that Molette doesn’t have any active warrants or criminal record that he knows about.
“Something relatively simple like that, that could be resolved very easily, you know, turned into something that, you know, she’s in jail for four or five different felonies,” he said.
A judge denied bond Tuesday.
Check back for updates.
[Feature Photo: Semmes police]
