GASTONIA, N.C. () – The police in Gastonia have pressed criminal charges against the parents of a 7-year-old boy who tragically died after a vehicle hit him as he tried to cross the road last Tuesday evening.
The parents, Jessica Ivey and Samuele Jenkins, face charges of Felony Involuntary Manslaughter, Felony Child Neglect, and Misdemeanor Child Neglect.
On Tuesday, May 27th, at approximately 5:55 p.m., officers responded to a reported traffic collision.
Upon arrival, police found that a 7-year-old boy had been struck by a Jeep Cherokee being driven by a 76-year-woman.
According to early findings, the child was trying to cross the road outside of a designated crosswalk with a 10-year-old boy when he stepped into the path of an oncoming vehicle.
The child was initially transported the hospital here he later died.
In a Facebook post the Gastonia P.D. said, “While the Gastonia Police Department offers its deepest sympathies to the family for the heartbreaking loss of their child, the investigation revealed that the children involved were unsupervised at the time the boy stepped into traffic. In such cases, adults must be held accountable for their responsibilities to ensure a safe environment for their children.”
At this time, there is no evidence of speeding or wrongdoing on the part of the driver, therefore no charges have been filed. The driver continues to be cooperative and the incident remains under active investigation by the Gastonia Police Department’s Traffic Division.
