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In Gastonia, North Carolina, the parents of seven-year-old Legend Jenkins face manslaughter and child neglect charges after their son was fatally struck by a car. Legend was walking home from a grocery store with his ten-year-old brother on Tuesday (May 27) when he darted into traffic and was hit by a 76-year-old driver, who remained at the scene and is not facing charges.
The parents, Sameule Jenkins and Jessica Ivey, were arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter and child neglect. Prosecutors argue that the parents were negligent in allowing their young children to walk unsupervised near a busy intersection. The Gastonia Police Department stated that adults must ensure a safe environment for their children, emphasizing that the children involved were unsupervised at the time of the accident.
Legend was initially taken to a local hospital and later transferred to Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte, where he died from his injuries four hours later.
The parents have been denied bail to attend their son's funeral, with bond set at $1.5 million each. A GoFundMe campaign has raised over $6,000 to help cover funeral expenses. The tragic incident remains under investigation by the Gastonia Police Department's Traffic Division.