Latest news with #GastonGazette
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Yahoo
Parents are charged after their son, 7, is struck dead in a car accident
The grieving parents of a 7-year-old child who died hours after being hit by a car were charged with involuntary manslaughter after allowing him and his brother, 10, to walk home unaccompanied by an adult from a nearby grocery store. Jessica Ivey and Samuele Jenkins were charged two days after their son Legend died from injuries caused by being struck by a Jeep on May 27 in Gastonia, a rural town in North Carolina. The 76-year-old driver will not face any charges. The Food Lion store is two blocks away from their home. The parents said the children were with their mother when they asked to meet their father at the store, and she allowed them to leave, according to the Gaston Gazette. The brothers had to cross the busy, four-lane road, but attempted to go between crosswalks. Witnesses told WSOC-TV Gastonia that Legend stepped into traffic as his older brother attempted to hold him back. Jenkins said he was on the phone with his elder son when the younger child was hit. 'I heard my oldest son yell, 'Legend, no!' so I hung up and ran. I just ran to find them,' he told the local television station. Two days later, Gastonia police arrested the parents, who are being held on $1.5 million bond. 'In such cases, adults must be held accountable for their responsibilities to ensure a safe environment for their children,' police said in a statement. Gastonia police declined to comment to NBC News, but said in a statement that 'there is no evidence of speeding or wrongdoing on the part of the driver, therefore no charges have been filed. The driver continues to be cooperative and the incident remains under active investigation by the Gastonia Police Department's Traffic Division.' The parents' public defenders did not respond to a request for comment on Wednesday. Ivey, the mother, said before her arrest to WSOC that it was the first time she let the children walk alone. 'It was just devastating, I'm still in shock, I'm in shock,' she said. 'It's hard, I haven't stopped crying; my husband hasn't stopped crying. Honestly, I want justice for my baby.' Summer Williams was in her car and witnessed the event. She told WSOC that Legend, apparently unaware of oncoming traffic, jumped into the street to the surprise of his brother, who tried to stop him. Williams said she comforted the child until paramedics arrived. 'Even at night, I still see his face,' she said. 'Just letting him know that somebody was there and he wasn't alone. 'Stay with us, sweetheart. You're going to be all right. Stay with us,'' Williams said she told the child. This article was originally published on
NBC News
04-06-2025
- NBC News
Parents are charged after their son, 7, is struck dead in a car accident
The grieving parents of a 7-year-old child who died hours after being hit by a car were charged with involuntary manslaughter after allowing him and his brother, 10, to walk home unaccompanied by an adult from a nearby grocery store. Jessica Ivey and Samuele Jenkins were charged two days after their son Legend died from injuries caused by being struck by a Jeep on May 27 in Gastonia, a rural town in North Carolina. The 76-year-old driver will not face any charges. The Food Lion store is two blocks away from their home. The parents said the children were with their mother when they asked to meet their father at the store, and she allowed them to leave, according to the Gaston Gazette. The brothers had to cross the busy, four-lane road, but attempted to go between crosswalks. Witnesses told WSOC-TV Gastonia that Legend stepped into traffic as his older brother attempted to hold him back. Jenkins said he was on the phone with his elder son when the younger child was hit. 'I heard my oldest son yell, 'Legend, no!' so I hung up and ran. I just ran to find them,' he told the local television station. Two days later, Gastonia police arrested the parents, who are being held on $1.5 million bond. 'In such cases, adults must be held accountable for their responsibilities to ensure a safe environment for their children,' police said in a statement. Gastonia police declined to comment to NBC News, but said in a statement that 'there is no evidence of speeding or wrongdoing on the part of the driver, therefore no charges have been filed. The driver continues to be cooperative and the incident remains under active investigation by the Gastonia Police Department's Traffic Division.' The parents' public defenders did not respond to a request for comment on Wednesday. Ivey, the mother, said before her arrest to WSOC that it was the first time she let the children walk alone. 'It was just devastating, I'm still in shock, I'm in shock,' she said. 'It's hard, I haven't stopped crying; my husband hasn't stopped crying. Honestly, I want justice for my baby.' Summer Williams was in her car and witnessed the event. She told WSOC that Legend, apparently unaware of oncoming traffic, jumped into the street to the surprise of his brother, who tried to stop him. Williams said she comforted the child until paramedics arrived. 'Even at night, I still see his face,' she said. 'Just letting him know that somebody was there and he wasn't alone. 'Stay with us, sweetheart. You're going to be all right. Stay with us,'' Williams said she told the child.
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Yahoo
16-Year-Old Breaks Down in Court and Shouts 'I Love You, Mama' After Being Charged as an Adult for Murder
A North Carolina teenager broke down in tears in court after being charged as an adult for murder. According to local media outlet WCCB, 16-year-old Sean Simpson was charged with first-degree murder in connection with the killing of 16-year-old Zaquavious Dawkins in Gastonia, North Carolina, on Jan. 26. Appearing at Gaston County Courthouse on Jan. 29, Simpson was overcome with emotion as the judge read his charges and appointed him a capital defender. Simpson will be tried as an adult and is being held without bail, per WCCB. According to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, an amendment to North Carolina's "Raise the Age" law came into effect on Dec. 1, 2024, and allows 16 and 17-year-olds to be tried as adults for felonies A through E, which includes murder. Footage shared by WCCB showed Simpson crying and placing his head in his handcuffed hands. He then shouted, "I love you, Mama, I love you," as officers led him out of the courtroom. WCCB reported that Dawkins was walking to a store on North Chester Street to buy items for his disabled mother when Simpson allegedly shot him. "He gave me a kiss. He said, 'I'll be back.' I said, 'I love you too,' ' Dawkins' mother Tilise told local media outlet 7 News. PEOPLE has contacted the Gaston Police Department for comment. According to local media outlet the Gaston Gazette, a witness to the shooting told police that he and Simpson had fought the previous school year at Ashbrook High School. A boy who had been walking with Dawkins from a Family Dollar store on Jan. 26 told detectives that a black Tesla drove past them and a boy in the back seat — who he identified as Simpson — shouted something out of the window. Dawkins and his friend then began to run when the car returned again, but Simpson allegedly began shooting from the back of a vehicle, according to an affidavit submitted by officer J.R. Robinson, per the Gaston Gazette. Dawkins was found covered in blood in a parking lot and had a gunshot wound to his right shoulder, per Robinson's affidavit. He was pronounced dead at the hospital. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. 'He was sweet,' Dawkins' aunt Denise Wilson told WCCB last month. 'He was kind. He would do anything for anybody. I mean, all you have to do is just say, 'Tank, will you go do this? Yes, ma'am. Yes, sir.' " '[You're] out here doing big boy things, and this is what's going to happen,' Wilson added to WCCB. 'You got to suffer the consequences.' Ashbrook High School also paid tribute to Dawkins in a Facebook post on Jan. 27. "Remembering Zaquavious 'Tank' Dawkins," they wrote alongside a photo of him. "The Green Wave family is heartbroken as we remember Zaquavious 'Tank' Dawkins, a truly special young man loved by so many." "Tank was not only a scholar-athlete but also a kind and thoughtful soul who touched the lives of everyone around him," the statement continued. "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and loved ones during this difficult time. Tank will forever be a part of the Green Wave." They added, "Rest in peace, Tank. Your legacy will live on in our hearts." Two days after Dawkins' death, Simpson was arrested at Gaston Adolescent Center, where he had been undergoing treatment, per the Gaston Gazette. According to the center's website, the center treats 'children and adolescents that have significant emotional and behavioral difficulties.' Read the original article on People
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gastonia City Council getting rid of city's DEI program
Gastonia City Council is getting rid of the city's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion program. According to reports from the Gaston Gazette, council members also voted to eliminate the position of DEI Coordinator. ALSO READ: NC's public universities cut 59 positions as part of massive DEI overhaul Some of the goals of the program included developing a diverse and inclusive workforce, eliminating disparities in how the city delivers services, and strengthening community engagement. This move follows a trend of states, universities, and the federal government targeting DEI policies. VIDEO: NC's public universities cut 59 positions as part of massive DEI overhaul
