A North Carolina couple has faced intense legal scrutiny after the tragic death of their 7-year-old son, Legend Jenkins, who was fatally struck by a car while crossing a busy road in Gastonia.
The couple, Samuele Jenkins and Jessica Ivey, pled guilty to charges related to the fatal accident and were sentenced after a court hearing that included a prosecutor’s plea for mercy.
The Tragic Incident
On May 27, 2025, Legend and his 10-year-old brother were crossing a busy street in Gastonia to pick up food at a Subway restaurant. The two boys were unsupervised at the time, and Legend was tragically hit by a Jeep Cherokee driven by a 76-year-old man. The 10-year-old tried to pull Legend out of the way, but the attempt came too late.
Investigations revealed that Jenkins and Ivey allowed their children to cross the street alone. According to the Gastonia Police Department, the parents’ decision to send their children unsupervised to pick up food led to the devastating incident.
Both Jenkins and Ivey were charged with felony involuntary manslaughter, felony child neglect, and misdemeanor child neglect.
The Court Hearing and Prosecutor’s Plea
During the sentencing hearing, the details of the case were presented, including statements from both the defense and prosecution. Prosecutor Joshua Warner explained that the 10-year-old son witnessed the tragic accident and tried to save his brother, which added to the emotional weight of the case.
In a deeply emotional statement, Warner said, “I stand here with a heavy heart and can’t imagine the grief they are experiencing.” He emphasized the profound impact the accident had on the surviving child, who witnessed the traumatic event.
Despite the charges, Warner acknowledged the pain the parents were enduring and made a compassionate plea for mercy, saying, “Those children need their parents.”
The Parents’ Actions and the Role of Surveillance
Court details revealed that Jenkins, in particular, had made the decision to send the children to Subway, even though Ivey opposed the idea. Jenkins believed he could supervise his children remotely via cell phone. Surveillance footage from the Subway parking lot showed the 10-year-old boy on the phone while Legend carried the food order.
Ivey, seen nearby on security footage leaving a grocery store, had claimed that she spoke to her children before they left. However, prosecutors disputed this, claiming that there was no communication between Ivey and her children before the fateful crossing of West Hudson Boulevard.
The Sentencing and Public Response
While the incident led to charges of child neglect, District Attorney Travis Page expressed sympathy for the parents, emphasizing that no punishment could compare to the guilt and grief they were likely feeling. He stated, “There is no prison or punishment worse than a parent living with the knowledge their decision-making and their actions caused the harm of their own child.”
Both parents were sentenced to a suspended prison sentence of 19 to 32 months, with three years of probation. Jenkins spoke briefly in court, saying, “All I got to say is, long live Legend.”
The case has sparked debates about the need for more parental support and guidance, as well as community efforts to prevent such tragedies from occurring in the future.
The tragic death of Legend Jenkins has left a profound impact on his family, the community, and all those involved in the case. Despite the criminal charges, prosecutors and the district attorney recognized the parents’ deep grief, urging mercy and compassion in their sentencing.
This case serves as a heart-wrenching reminder of the importance of responsible parenting and the consequences of seemingly small decisions made in the heat of the moment.
