Two parents are facing charges after their seven-year-old son was fatally struck by a vehicle while walking home with his brother in Gastonia, North Carolina.
The Gastonia Police Department announced in a press release that it had filed criminal charges against Samuele Jenkins and Jessica Ivey for allowing their children to walk two blocks to the store. The parents are facing charges of Felony Involuntary Manslaughter, Felony Child Neglect, and Misdemeanor Child Neglect.
“On Tuesday, May 27, 2025, at approximately 5:55 p.m., officers responded to a reported traffic collision in the 1000 block of West Hudson Boulevard,” the press release said. “Upon arrival, police found that a 7-year-old juvenile male had been struck by a Jeep Cherokee being driven by a 76-year female driver traveling eastbound. The preliminary investigation revealed that the child was attempting to cross the street outside of a crosswalk with another juvenile male, aged 10, when he entered the roadway and was hit.”
The ten-year-old child was the victim’s brother.
No.
— デビー Debbie דבי (@mosesmosesmoses) June 6, 2025
This is not a precedent we should be setting.
These parents are being charged with involuntary manslaughter for allowing their 7yo to walk two blocks with his 10yo brother.https://t.co/m600kM0WZm
The victim was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. “Tragically, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead near 10:00 p.m,” the police department explained.
The department laid out the rationale for charging the parents.
While the Gastonia Police Department offers its deepest sympathies to the family for the heartbreaking loss of their child, the investigation revealed that the children involved were unsupervised at the time the boy stepped into traffic. In such cases, adults must be held accountable for their responsibilities to ensure a safe environment for their children.
At this time, there is no evidence of speeding or wrongdoing on the part of the driver, therefore no charges have been filed.
Jenkins told WSOC that he was on the phone with the children when the accident occurred. “I heard my oldest son yell, ‘Legend no,’ so I hung up and ran. I just ran to find them.”
Judge Ed Bogle set the parents’ bond at $1.5 million on Friday, according to ABC News. The couple is being held in the Gaston County Jail and has not yet entered a plea.
WSOC identified the victim as Legend Jenkins. When the parents asked the judge for permission to attend their son’s memorial service, Judge Bogle told them to consult with their attorneys. Jenkins and Ivey are being represented by public defenders.
Mom let sons 7 & 10 walk to store. 7 y.o. broke away from brother, got killed by car.
— Lenore Skenazy (@FreeRangeKids) June 4, 2025
Parents' bail: $1.5 MILLION.
Facing felony charges.
NOT ALLOWED TO ATTEND SON'S FUNERAL.
As if they need to LEARN A LESSON?
As if it's CRIMINAL to let kids walk?https://t.co/9kcjiF2HJw
A witness told reporters she tried to comfort Legend after the accident. “Just letting him know that somebody was there and he wasn’t alone. Stay with us, sweetheart. You’re going to be alright. Stay with us,” she told him.
No.
— デビー Debbie דבי (@mosesmosesmoses) June 6, 2025
This is not a precedent we should be setting.
These parents are being charged with involuntary manslaughter for allowing their 7yo to walk two blocks with his 10yo brother.https://t.co/m600kM0WZm
Ivey told the outlet that it was the first time she had allowed her sons to walk to the grocery store.
This case doesn’t make sense. Jenkins and Ivey are not the only parents who allow their children to walk short distances. When I was their age, I’d ride my bike all over the South Bay while living in Los Angeles. This was a horrible accident. The fact that the authorities are seeking to place the parents in prison only makes the situation even more tragic.
Putting a grieving couple in prison for years offers no benefit to society. It only compounds the anguish the community must feel. Moreover, placing a $1.5 million bond for individuals who are clearly not a threat to the public seems more like an effort to railroad them than an actual protection measure. From where I sit, there is no reason to add more pain to people who are already heartbroken.
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