Gastonia

Gaston County prosecutors refused to delay their prosecution of a Gastonia woman whose 7-year-old son was killed by a car after she let him walk home without adult supervision.

This left her no choice but to plead guilty to a felony, her attorney said.

The case of Jessica Ivey and her husband, Samuele Jenkins, has captured national attention and ignited debates about parental responsibility for harm their children could face while walking or playing outside. A North Carolina state senator is calling for a new law to ensure parents aren’t arrested in such situations.

Public defender Matt Hawkins, who represented Ivey, 30, revealed new details in the case to The Charlotte Observer.

If prosecutors had granted Hawkins’ request for deferred prosecution, they would’ve agreed

See Full Page