Tragedy struck in Gastonia, North Carolina, when 7-year-old Legend Jenkins was hit and killed by an SUV while walking home from a store with his 10-year-old brother. Police say the boys were crossing the street outside a crosswalk, unsupervised, when a Jeep driven by a 76-year-old woman struck Legend. Despite efforts to save him, the second-grader died later that night in the hospital.
Heartbroken, his mom Jessica Jenkins called Legend a “mama’s boy” who loved sports. She said it was the first time she’d let her children cross the street alone and blames the driver for her son’s death. Legend’s father, Sameule Jenkins, said he wishes he’d been there to protect his son, who “never got a chance to flourish.”
Both parents have been charged with felony involuntary manslaughter and child neglect. Police stress the importance of adult supervision, saying adults must be held accountable to keep children safe. The SUV driver, found not at fault, remains cooperative as the investigation continues.
