Latest news with #GastonCountySheriff'sOffice
Scottish Sun
6 days ago
- Health
- Scottish Sun
Parents arrested for letting boy, 7, walk home ‘unattended' as mom insists it was first time she let him outside alone
He was a mamma's boy who loved sports FATAL ACCIDENT Parents arrested for letting boy, 7, walk home 'unattended' as mom insists it was first time she let him outside alone A MOM and dad have been arrested after their 7-year-son was fatally struck by an SUV while walking home "unattended" from a store. They were charged with involuntary manslaughter after leaving little Legend Jenkins unsupervised, said cops. 4 Legend Jenkins, 7, was fatally struck by a Jeep Cherokee in Gastonia, North Carolina Credit: Family Handout 4 Tributes have been left at the scene of last Tuesday's fatal crash Credit: WSOC-TV Gastonia Police said that a Jeep Cherokee driving by a 76-year-old woman hit Legend at about 6 pm last Tuesday. The second-grader had been crossing a road while walking with his brother, 10, in Gastonia, North Carolina. A passing driver said she has been haunted by his death after she stopped to help the seriously injured boy. Summer Williams said she held him in her arms until the ambulance arrived, reported the New York Post. READ MORE US NEWS TRIPLE TRAGEDY Three missing children found dead after vanishing on visit with homeless dad But he died four hours later that night in hospital. His mother, Jessica Jenkins, told Gaston Gazette that "sweet" Legend was a "mama's boy" who enjoyed sports. The mom said it was the first time she had let her children cross that street alone, "and someone killed him." She accused the SUV driver of "taking somebody's baby - she doesn't need to be out here driving." Legend's dad, Sameule Jenkins said he was in "shock." The distraught man said his boy had enjoyed playing "everything ― soccer, football, basketball, he just never got a chance to flourish." Indy 500 driver ploughs into his pit crew and injures four team members He added, "My son didn't deserve this. I wish I was there to protect him." The Gastonia Police Department said last Thursday that cops have filed criminal charges against them both. "Both parents have been charged with felony involuntary manslaughter, felony child neglect, and misdemeanor child neglect," it added. 4 The boy's mom, Jessica Jenkins, was arrested by Gastonia Police Credit: Gaston County Sheriff's Office 4 Sameule Jenkins, the boy's dad, was also arrested for involuntary manslaughter Credit: Gaston County Sheriff's Office The police said that last Tuesday, "at approximately 5:55 p.m., officers responded to a reported traffic collision in the 1000 block of West Hudson Boulevard. "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. "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." UNSUPERVISED Legend was initially taken to CaroMont Regional Medical Center with life-threatening injuries. But he was later transferred to Levine Children's Hospital in Charlotte. The police said, "Tragically, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead near 10 pm." In regards to the double arrest, it added, "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." SUV DRIVER Witness to the collision, Summer Williams said she had seen Legend dash out on to the road, as his older brother desperately tried to hold him back. She added, "Even at night, I still see his (Legend's) face." Cops confirmed that the SUV driver has not been arrested. The statement said, "At this time, 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. "Anyone who witnessed the crash or may have relevant information is urged to contact Corporal Carpenter with the Gastonia Police Department at 704-866-6702."
The Irish Sun
6 days ago
- Health
- The Irish Sun
Parents arrested for letting boy, 7, walk home ‘unattended' as mom insists it was first time she let him outside alone
A MOM and dad have been arrested after their 7-year-son was fatally struck by an SUV while walking home "unattended" from a store. They were charged with involuntary manslaughter after leaving little Legend Jenkins unsupervised, said cops. Advertisement 4 Legend Jenkins, 7, was fatally struck by a Jeep Cherokee in Gastonia, North Carolina Credit: Family Handout 4 Tributes have been left at the scene of last Tuesday's fatal crash Credit: WSOC-TV Gastonia Police said that a Jeep Cherokee driving by a 76-year-old woman hit Legend at about 6 pm last Tuesday. The second-grader had been crossing a road while walking with his brother, 10, in Gastonia, North Carolina. A passing driver said she has been haunted by his death after she stopped to help the seriously injured boy. Summer Williams said she held him in her arms until the ambulance arrived, reported the Advertisement READ MORE US NEWS But he died four hours later that night in hospital. His mother, Jessica Jenkins, told The mom said it was the first time she had let her children cross that street alone, "and someone killed him." She accused the SUV driver of "taking somebody's baby - she doesn't need to be out here driving." Advertisement Most read in The US Sun Legend's dad, Sameule Jenkins said he was in "shock." The distraught man said his boy had enjoyed playing "everything ― soccer, football, basketball, he just never got a chance to flourish." Indy 500 driver ploughs into his pit crew and injures four team members He added, "My son didn't deserve this. I wish I was there to protect him." The Gastonia Police Department said last Thursday that cops have filed criminal charges against them both. Advertisement "Both parents have been charged with felony involuntary manslaughter, felony child neglect, and misdemeanor child neglect," it added. 4 The boy's mom, Jessica Jenkins, was arrested by Gastonia Police Credit: Gaston County Sheriff's Office 4 Sameule Jenkins, the boy's dad, was also arrested for involuntary manslaughter Credit: Gaston County Sheriff's Office The police said that last Tuesday, "at approximately 5:55 p.m., officers responded to a reported traffic collision in the 1000 block of West Hudson Boulevard. Advertisement "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. "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." UNSUPERVISED Legend was initially taken to CaroMont Regional Medical Center with life-threatening injuries. But he was later transferred to Levine Children's Hospital in Charlotte. Advertisement The police said, "Tragically, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead near 10 pm." In regards to the double arrest, it added, "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." SUV DRIVER Witness to the collision, Summer Williams said she had seen Legend dash out on to the road, as his older brother desperately tried to hold him back. Advertisement She added, "Even at night, I still see his (Legend's) face." Cops confirmed that the SUV driver has not been arrested. The statement said, "At this time, 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. Advertisement "Anyone who witnessed the crash or may have relevant information is urged to contact Corporal Carpenter with the Gastonia Police Department at 704-866-6702."
Yahoo
13-04-2025
- Yahoo
Family questions jail's supervision following man's death
Two inmates at the Gaston County Detention Center died in March, according to jail records. The first inmate, a 44-year-old woman, died March 9, by suicide while incarcerated at the jail on drug charges. According to a report the jail submitted from the state, an officer had checked on her at 1:06 p.m., and she was found "in distress or dead" at 1:45 p.m., 39 minutes later. Guards are required to check on inmates twice an hour, with not more than 40 minutes between checks. The State Bureau of Investigation is investigating her death. A Gaston County Detention Center official declined to say whether or not the woman was under a special watch, which would have required her to be checked on more frequently. The Gazette is not identifying the woman because she died by suicide. The second inmate, 27-year-old Shawn Allen Sanders, was incarcerated on a variety of charges, including robbery with a dangerous weapon and first-degree burglary. Sanders was found "in distress or dead" at 10:33 p.m. March 23, according to a report from the jail. A guard had checked on him at 10:09 p.m., just 24 minutes earlier. The report did not indicate what condition Sanders was in when the guard checked on him at that time. Megan Sanders, Sanders' wife, said she last spoke with him at 3:30 p.m. the day he died. "He was perfectly fine. Our last phone call ended with him telling me how much he loved me, and he was talking about fixing my car. The phone went out. He never made it to call me back," she said. Please enable Javascript to view this content. Hospital records from CaroMont Health that Megan Sanders shared indicate that Sanders may have taken fentanyl. Sanders was hospitalized after "an unknown period of unresponsiveness," which led to brain death, according to the medical records. He was pronounced dead at the hospital on March 26. Megan Sanders questioned why jail officials didn't know how long Sanders had been unresponsive if they were supposed to be checking on him. "He was neglected, and they didn't do their job," she said. "He was so healthy. I was able to donate all his organs, even his heart. It was just his brain. The doctor said his brain had swelled so much there was no more room left for it to swell." Capt. Jason Davis with the Gaston County Sheriff's Office said that Sanders, like an other inmate, only required two checks per hour with no more than 40 minutes between them. Megan Sanders said that she and Shawn Sanders have an 18-month-old son named Ethan. Sanders and the woman who died March 9 were the first jail inmates to die in 2025. The Gaston County Sheriff's Office said that two jail inmates died in 2024 as well. This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Gaston County jail inmates found dead
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Yahoo
Sheriff's Office welcomes new K-9 deputy Dunkin at Dunkin Donuts
Gaston County Sheriff's Office invited the Gaston community to a meet-and-greet with its newest K-9 deputy, Dunkin. Dunkin, a Red Labrador Retriever, is Gaston County's newest narcotics detection K-9. Sheriff Chad Hawkins introduced Dunkin to the community on Wednesday morning at the Gastonia Dunkin' Donuts on N. New Hope Road. The four-legged crime fighter was born to a litter in 2023 that was donated to Highland K-9, a Harmony service and police K-9 training facility, according to a press release. Dunkin is a non-apprehension narcotic K-9, meaning he is trained to track illegal substances and vulnerable missing persons, according to the Gaston County Sheriff's Office. READ: Church plans to create new facility for substance abuse in Gaston County Police say Dunkin will be a valuable member of the county's Project Lifesaver program, which works to locate individuals with cognitive conditions such as Alzheimer's, dementia, and autism. K-9 Dunkin will spend most of his time working at the Gaston County Detention facility with his handler Deputy William Linkous, according to GCSO, to ensure a secure and drug-free facility. The Gaston Gazette reports that Dunkin has already found fentanyl residue in a cell block. WATCH: Church plans to create new facility for substance abuse in Gaston County
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Yahoo
Sheriff's Office welcomes new K-9 deputy Dunkin at Dunkin Donuts
Gaston County Sheriff's Office invited the Gaston community to a meet-and-greet with its newest K-9 deputy, Dunkin. Dunkin, a Red Labrador Retriever, is Gaston County's newest narcotics detection K-9. Sheriff Chad Hawkins introduced Dunkin to the community on Wednesday morning at the Gastonia Dunkin' Donuts on N. New Hope Road. The four-legged crime fighter was born to a litter in 2023 that was donated to Highland K-9, a Harmony service and police K-9 training facility, according to a press release. Dunkin is a non-apprehension narcotic K-9, meaning he is trained to track illegal substances and vulnerable missing persons, according to the Gaston County Sheriff's Office. READ: Church plans to create new facility for substance abuse in Gaston County Police say Dunkin will be a valuable member of the county's Project Lifesaver program, which works to locate individuals with cognitive conditions such as Alzheimer's, dementia, and autism. K-9 Dunkin will spend most of his time working at the Gaston County Detention facility with his handler Deputy William Linkous, according to GCSO, to ensure a secure and drug-free facility. The Gaston Gazette reports that Dunkin has already found fentanyl residue in a cell block. WATCH: Church plans to create new facility for substance abuse in Gaston County
