A heartbreaking event unfolded in North Carolina when a 7-year-old boy was fatally struck by a vehicle as he was returning home from a grocery store with his elder brother. The parents of the young boy, named Legend Jenkins, are now facing charges of involuntary manslaughter and child neglect, both serious felonies, for allowing their children to walk home without adult supervision.
The incident took place last Tuesday in Gastonia. Legend ran into the path of an oncoming jeep, driven by a 76-year-old woman. The Gastonia Police Department reported that the boy’s mother, Jessica Ivey, had allowed her sons to walk to the nearby grocery store by themselves for the first time.
The parents, Jessica Ivey and Samuele Jenkins, were taken into custody on Thursday. They were not permitted to attend their son’s funeral and were held on a bond of $1.5 million, the maximum amount possible.
The Gastonia Police Department expressed its condolences to the family but also stressed the importance of adult supervision for children. The department’s statement highlighted that the investigation revealed that the children were unsupervised when the boy stepped into traffic. It emphasized that adults must be held accountable for their responsibilities to ensure a safe environment for their children.
The driver of the jeep will not face any charges as the police found no evidence of speeding or any other wrongdoing on her part. A witness to the accident, Summer Williams, described that the boy was hit after he darted out into the street while his brother tried to restrain him. Williams, who cradled the dying boy in her arms until help arrived, said she still sees his face even at night.
Williams tried to comfort the young boy as they waited for emergency responders to arrive. She remembered telling him, “Stay with us, sweetheart. You’re going to be all right. Stay with us.” Tragically, Legend succumbed to his injuries at the hospital hours later.