An Alabama mother who allegedly sped 90 mph, causing a crash, learned in court Tuesday that her 7-year-old son died during the collision.
According to News 5, Delyshia Molette, 34, is facing charges that include manslaughter, assault, resisting arrest, attempting to elude, and robbery.
Mobile County District Attorney Keith Blackwood said during a bond hearing Tuesday that Molette was in the car with her two children, ages 7 and 11, when she crashed into a light pole Monday. It happened at Schillinger and Howells Ferry roads in Mobile.
Neither child had a seatbelt on.
“She was fleeing after an investigation from the day prior, where she’s been accused of theft and assaulting a police officer,” Blackwood said.
“It was during that flight that she was speeding very excessively, lost control of the vehicle wrecked, which, unfortunately, resulted in the death of a young child.”
Molette appeared stunned when she learned one of her children had died, Al.com reports.
“Did you say he died? My 7-year-old died?”
The 11-year-old is in critical condition with a brain bleed, according to testimony.
Court documents indicated that the incident began after the defendant allegedly shoplifted Monday at a Publix store on Schillingers Road.
When a police officer stopped her, Mollette allegedly “gouged his eyes” and then ran away on foot, court documents stated.
“When the officer confronted the suspect, she took off running,” Semmes Police Chief Todd Friend told FOX10 News. “The officer caught up to her, and a struggle ensued. And she was able to get her hands, her fingers, inside of the officer’s eyes.”
Later on Monday, police spotted her driving an Infiniti SUV. They initially gave chase but stopped around a minute later, when they noticed children in the car.
“He slowed down, basically let her go,” Friend said. “We can only assume why she kept driving at a high rate of speed.”
Molette reportedly claimed that she fled because she did not want the Department of Human Resources to remove her children.
Friend added that Molette doesn’t have any active warrants or criminal record that he knows about.
“Something relatively simple like that, that could be resolved very easily, you know, turned into something that, you know, she’s in jail for four or five different felonies,” he said.
A judge denied bond Tuesday.
Check back for updates.
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[Feature Photo: Semmes police]
