BOAZ, Alabama – In a shocking incident, a 7-year-old boy was allegedly run over by his mother after getting into trouble on the school bus. According to Police Chief Michael Abercrombie, the mother picked up her child at the school’s request but then made him get out of the car, resulting in the horrific accident. Fortunately, the child suffered only minor injuries and is expected to make a full recovery.
The incident occurred on February 8, when the mother parked just outside the school and instructed her son to continue the rest of the way home on foot. The family lived approximately eight blocks away. Flashing her car’s lights, the mother drove alongside her child as he trotted beside the vehicle.
In a tragic turn of events, as the child reached for the car’s door handle, allegedly trying to get back inside, the mother unintentionally pressed on the accelerator. The force caused the child to be dragged under the car, resulting in injuries to his back and a graze to his head.
After receiving medical treatment at UAB Hospital in Birmingham for minor abrasions, the young boy was released. The 27-year-old mother, whose identity is being withheld for the protection of her son’s privacy, has since been arrested and charged with aggravated child abuse of a family member, a Class B felony in Alabama.
The mother was booked into the Marshall County jail on February 8 and subsequently released on bond on February 11. Her bail was set at $50,000. Additionally, a 53-year-old woman who was a passenger in the car at the time of the incident was arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor offense. She was released on a $500 bond.
The Chief confirmed that the older woman was charged because she failed to intervene when the mother insisted the child needed to get himself home without the bus. The mother is currently prohibited from having any contact with her son, who is now in the custody of the Department of Human Resources.
The case of the older woman will be processed through Boaz Municipal Court due to the relatively minor nature of the offense. Authorities urge anyone who suspects child abuse to report it to the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline or visit their website for confidential assistance.