Parents Charged with Involuntary Manslaughter After Their Son, 7, Dies While Crossing the Street

Two North Carolina parents are facing multiple charges after their 7-year-old son was hit and killed by an SUV as he crossed a street unsupervised. 

Jessica Ivey, 30, and Samuele Jenkins, 31, were charged with involuntary manslaughter, felony child neglect and misdemeanor child neglect on Thursday, May 29, according to Gaston County Sheriff’s Office public records. They are both being held on a $1.5 million bond.

Gastonia Police said they responded to reports of a vehicular crash involving a pedestrian on West Hudson Boulevard just before 6 p.m. local time on Tuesday, May 27, per WBTV. 

Upon arriving, they found that the 7-year-old child had been attempting to cross the street in an area of the road without a crosswalk when he was hit by an SUV driven by a 76-year-old woman. The boy was with his 10-year-old brother at the time.

Police further told the outlet that the child was transported to a local hospital and was then transferred to Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte, where he later died around 10 p.m. 

Authorities told WBTV that adults must be held accountable in these types of incidents and should ensure their children are in a safe environment.

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The driver of the SUV has not been charged at this time, per WCNC.

The initial court date for both Ivey and Jenkins was scheduled for Friday, May 30, per public records.

PEOPLE reached out to the Gaston Police Department as well as the Gaston County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday, May 31, but did not receive an immediate response.