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Miami Mother Accused of Neglect for Not Putting Seatbelts on Children

How many times have you driven "just down the road" or "right around the block," and assumed that a seatbelt was not necessary?  Or maybe you remember way back in the day when people never thought twice about strapping themselves into the car.  Regardless, not wearing a seatbelt is a big risk to take.  It doesn't matter if you're driving 110 miles per hour or 10, you always run the risk of being in an accident.  As long as your vehicle is in motion, you must strap yourself into a safety restraint belt.  But more importantly, you must always strap your children in. 

Late last week, a boy who was only a year-and-a-half old was involved in an auto accident.  The mother reported that she had swerved a little off of the road to avoid running into a piece of debris.  The little boy was not wearing a seat belt, and as a result, his body was projected out of the vehicle and into the air.  Within a matter of seconds, he was thrown approximately 18 feet into the air.  The little boy was projected so high up that he actually passed over a wall.  His body landed on the other side of the wall in an apartment complex area, about 75 feet away from the car that he was projected from. 

Unlike many of our other stories, this one actually has a safe ending for the child victim.  The little boy, Jacob Mentor, survived!  The toddler sustained no serious or life threatening injuries at all.  Likewise, his three-year-old sister along with their twenty-eight-year-old mother, Rosaline Jean-Baptiste.  But what happened next, the mother did not see coming.  This past Monday, she was charged with two counts of cupable negligence, two counts of child neglect, two counts of failure to use a child restraint.  On top of those charges, she also received one count of failure to wear a safety belt, driving without a valid driver's license, and careless driving. 

Reportedly, the mother was very tearful when she had to face Broward County Judge John Hurley on Monday morning.  After hearing the charges and a description of the incident that occurred, Judge Hurley ordered that both of Jean-Baptiste's children be removed from her custody for the time being.  The order details how she is not permitted to visit or have any contact with either of her children, and in her place a legal guardian will be appointed by the state.  Until then, the mother is being held in custody.  Her bail rests at fifteen grand, but money will do her no good right now because she has also been placed on immigration hold.  Jean-Baptiste had been living in the United States for nearly two decades and had been working as a beautician.  She was studying to become a nurse, but because of the accident and the charges filed against her she had to miss her graduation ceremony that was scheduled for Friday.

This unexpected accident put this parent in a most horrific nightmare that she cannot escape.  We urge you to buckle your children up before you take off, or talk to other guardians or caretakers who may be traveling with your child.  The attorneys at Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys are committed to informing parents, preventing unforeseen child injuries and accidents, and protecting children.  If you have questions, or require legal assistance, please do not hesitate to contact one of our Kansas City-based attorneys.

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