An Alabama mother has been charged with aggravated child abuse after she accidentally ran over her son while making him walk home from school as a punishment.
Sarai Rachel James, 27, was booked and released after posting a $50,000 bond in Marshall County, Alabama.
On February 9, 2024, Sarai Rachel James, 27, picked up her son from school in Boaz, Alabama. She was informed by the school principal that her son had gotten into trouble earlier in the day, prompting her to devise a punishment.
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As a form of discipline, James decided to make her son walk or run the rest of the way home, a distance of approximately eight blocks.
According to the Boaz Police Department, James drove alongside her son for a few blocks as he made his way home. However, as James slowed down, the boy attempted to grab the door handle of the car; tragically, when James accelerated, her son was pulled under the car and ran over by a rear tire.
Investigators believe that the incident was an accident, although they assert that the boy would not have been in such a dangerous situation if he had not been subjected to this extreme form of punishment.
Boaz Chief of Police Michael Abercrombie stated that James may not have realized her son’s attempt to grab the door handle. Despite the accidental nature of the incident, the consequences were severe, and the young boy sustained injuries to his back and head.
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The child was promptly transported to the University of Alabama hospital, where he received medical treatment for his abrasions. Fortunately, he did not suffer any broken bones or internal injuries, which can be considered a miraculous outcome given the circumstances.
“It was a miracle he was not hurt worse than what he could have been,” Police Chief Michael Abercrombie said to AL.com.
Following the incident, Sarai Rachel James was charged with aggravated child abuse and subsequently released on a $50,000 bond. Her actions resulted in serious harm to her child, leading to legal repercussions and the involvement of child welfare authorities.
James has been prohibited from contacting her son, and the Department of Human Resources has taken custody of the child. This intervention aims to ensure the safety and well-being of the young boy while the legal proceedings unfold.
Additionally, a 53-year-old woman who was in the car with James at the time of the incident was charged with endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor offense. She allegedly failed to intervene when James instructed her son to walk or run home as a punishment.
The woman was released on a $500 bond and will face charges in the Boaz Municipal Court.
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