A St. Louis woman was charged with child endangerment after allegedly making her 8-year-old son drive, with her toddler in the backseat, while she was passed out.
St. Louis prosecutors filed two counts of felony child endangerment against Latonya Mayes-Gale, 28, on Monday, the day of her arrest. One of the counts pertains to the boy; the other concerns her 3-year-old, who rode unsecured in the vehicle’s backseat, charging documents allege.
Mayes-Gale was arrested and booked into jail Monday after an officer spotted the vehicle she was in with the two children heading west in an eastbound lane at a downtown St. Louis intersection, according to a police affidavit filed in support of her arrest.
“Defendant couldn’t drive the motor vehicle and instructed [the 8-year-old] to drive the motor vehicle for her,” the affidavit said. “Defendant was in the rear of the motor vehicle unconscious and Victim# 2, who is three years of age, was unsecured in the backseat.”
NBC News affiliate KSDK of St. Louis reported the incident took place at about 4 a.m. No injuries were reported.
The complaint against Mayes-Gale alleges she placed the 8-year-old in danger by instructing him to drive and placed the 3-year-old in danger by allowing the toddler to ride in a vehicle driven by the 8-year-old.
Each count carries with it a minimum sentence of one year in prison if successfully prosecuted.
Her lawyer, Steven Kratky, said via email that Mayes-Gale is raising her two children, works as a home health aide and cares for an elderly, homebound grandparent, factors which he brought up in court.
A judge on Tuesday released Mayes-Gale pending trial, with a bond hearing scheduled for April 23, according to court records.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
