Parents thrown in jail for 'causing son's hit and run death' by allowing him to walk home without them
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North Carolina parents have been arrested after their 7-year-old son was killed by a car when they let him walk home from the grocery store without them.
The couple, Sameule Jenkins and Jessica Ivey, were arrested Thursday, and charged with involuntary manslaughter and child neglect.
The arrest came two days after their son Legend Jenkins was killed in a tragic hit-and-run in Gastonia, 25 miles west of Charlotte.
The parents had allegedly allowed Legend and his 10-year-old brother to walk home alone for the first time after a trip to a nearby grocery store.
But the milestone outing turned into a tragedy when Legend darted into traffic and was hit by a Jeep Cherokee, according to police.
The heartbreaking incident occurred just before 6pm Tuesday in the 1000 block of West Hudson Boulevard.
Gastonia Police officers arrived to find the boy critically injured.
A 76-year-old woman driving the SUV remained at the scene.
Authorities said the older brother tried to pull Legend back from the road, but was too late.
Summer Williams, a witness to the crash, told local outlet WSOC she tried to comfort the young boy as they waited for emergency responders.
'Just letting him know that somebody was there and he wasn't alone,' she told the outlet. 'Stay with us, sweetheart. You're going to be alright. Stay with us.''
'Even at night, I still see his face,' Williams added.
'The children were very young. They shouldn't have been crossing a busy intersection like that in the first place,' said Williams.
Legend was first rushed to a local hospital and later transferred to a children's facility in Charlotte.
He succumbed to his injuries four hours later.
Police said the driver is not expected to face charges and claimed there was no evidence she was speeding or driving recklessly.
But the boy's parents are now behind bars.
'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,' police wrote in a statement on Facebook.
'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 statement continued.
'The driver continues to be cooperative and the incident remains under active investigation by the Gastonia Police Department's Traffic Division.
Anyone with relevant information is urged to contact Corporal Carpenter with the Gastonia Police Department at 704-866-6702.
Before her arrest, Ivey told the Gaston Gazette the store was close by and it was the first time she had ever let the boys walk home on their own.
At a bond hearing Friday, both parents asked to be released so they could attend their son's funeral.
The judge denied the request and set bail at $1.5 million each
A fundraiser has been set up by the boy's family. The GoFundMe has since raised $6,250 raised of its $10K goal.
'My baby was only 7 about to be 8 in august and he was tragically killed by a car accident right outside of his neighborhood. He was a mommas boy up and down. He was smart, creative, and even if he was ill would always keep a smile,' his parents wrote in the description.
'He loved playing any sports. He was truly a warrior, but after being revived close to twelve times he unfortunately passed away at. WE ASK that y'all send prayers for our family in this time of heartbreak and if you wish to give, anything would be very grateful.'
