An Alabama mother, aged 27, was apprehended last week following allegations of extreme punishment towards her 7-year-old son. The woman, identified as Sarai Rachel James, reportedly forced her son to walk home from school, a situation that escalated to her running over the child with her car.
James was taken into custody last Thursday, facing a felony aggravated child abuse charge in connection with the incident, according to official records. Carla Mae Owens, a 53-year-old woman who was in the car at the time of the incident, was also arrested. Owens was charged with a misdemeanor count of endangering the welfare of a child.
The Boaz Police Department reported that the school principal had contacted James on February 8, informing her of her son’s misbehavior earlier that day. Court documents reveal that James picked up her son from school that afternoon. Their home was approximately eight blocks away from the school.
Despite the short distance, James allegedly stopped the car and instructed her son to exit. She then told him to either walk or run the rest of the way home as a form of punishment for his behavior at school.
The police report states that the boy tried to re-enter the car shortly after being forced out. In response, James allegedly accelerated the vehicle, resulting in the boy being dragged under the car and run over by the rear tire.
Despite the terrifying ordeal, the boy sustained only minor injuries. “The child suffered only abrasions,” Boaz Police Chief Michael Abercrombie told local media. “It is a miracle he was not hurt worse than what he was.” The boy was taken to the University of Alabama Hospital for treatment.
Following the incident, James was arrested and taken to the Marshall County Jail. She was released on Sunday after posting a $50,000 bond. Owens was taken to the Boaz City Jail and was released after posting a $500 bond.
After her initial court appearance, a judge ordered James to have no contact with her son until further notice. The Boaz Police Department has yet to provide additional information about the case.