A Louisiana woman is facing negligent homicide charges after she drove over her toddler son, who’d fallen out of her car in Baton Rouge, Us Weekly has learned.
In addition to negligent homicide, Elizabeth Aguilar was also charged with failure to use a child passenger restraining system.
Police only announced the arrest this week, but the incident occurred on February 20 at approximately 11:21 a.m.
Cops were called to a Murphy’s gas station, where the alleged incident unfolded.
“Upon arrival, officers learned that Nicholas Aguilar had been seated in the rear passenger seat of a vehicle,” reads a statement from Baton Rouge Police. “While the vehicle was making a turn in the parking lot, the child fell out and was run over by the vehicle.”
Officers rushed the child to a nearby hospital, where medical staff were unable to save him.
Elizabeth, 22, is still in police custody without bond. Authorities said they continue to investigate the incident.
Aguilar does not have an attorney who can speak on her behalf, and she has not been asked to enter pleas yet.
A similar tragedy unfolded recently in Texas, leading to the arrest of a 17-year-old mom whose baby was ejected from her car during a crash and died.
Police alleged that Karla Lopez ran a red light, causing the collision in Fort Worth. She was charged with reckless injury to a child resulting in serious bodily injury.
The baby was identified as Sebastian Reyes, who was just 6 months old at the time of the crash.
The fatal accident took place on March 7 near the intersection of Rock Island Street and Azle Avenue, police confirmed to Us.
Officials said that Sebastian suffered serious injuries and emergency responders transported the infant to a nearby hospital. Medical staff attempted life-saving treatment, though Sebastian couldn’t be saved and he ultimately died from his injuries.
The baby’s mother was transported to a local hospital for unspecified non-life-threatening injuries.
After she was treated, she was formally charged and taken to jail. It is not currently clear if Lopez has entered a plea or retained legal representation following her arrest.
The Fort Worth Police Department told Us they had no additional statements to share as of time of publication. Police have not shared the condition of the other person involved in the car crash.
If you suspect child abuse, please call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or visit ChildHelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential, and the hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
