In a somber turn of events in Gaston County, the parents of a seven-year-old boy who was tragically killed after being struck by a car have accepted plea deals. The couple, Samuele Jenkins and Jessica Ivey, faced the court on charges related to the May incident which resulted in the death of their son, Legend Jenkins. According to WBTV, the parents were initially charged with felony involuntary manslaughter and child neglect.
The plea agreements resulted in Jenkins pleading guilty to felony child abuse with serious injury, avoiding jail time with a suspended sentence of 19-32 months and 36 months of supervised probation, as reported by WCNC. His partner, Ivey, pleaded guilty to a negligent child abuse leading to serious injury. She will also serve a probation period having spent 25 days in custody.
Jenkins and Ivey must comply with guidelines set by the Department of Social Services and complete parenting classes as part of their probation conditions. District Attorney Travis G. Page noted that the lack of criminal intent and the welfare of the remaining children were factors in the decision-making process of the court. "The potential of harming Legend’s siblings who were still grieving their brother without their parents," was a point of consideration, Page said in the statement given to WBTV.
The incident occurred on May 27, when Legend and his older brother tried crossing the busy Hudson Boulevard unsupervised after picking up food from a local Subway restaurant. Surveillance footage confirmed that the children, who an adult did not supervise, attempted to cross in the middle of the block, not at a designated crosswalk. A 76-year-old woman driving the SUV that hit Legend was found to be not at fault, as she was driving within the speed limit, according to police statements obtained by QC News.
