A routine walk turned tragic when 7-year-old Legend Jenkins was fatally struck by a Jeep Cherokee on May 27, 2025, while crossing West Hudson Boulevard with his 10-year-old brother. Just two days later, his parents, Jessica Ivey and Samuele Jenkins, were arrested.According to Gastonia police, the children were unsupervised. The department stated: “Adults must be held accountable for their responsibilities to ensure a safe environment for their children.” The couple now faces charges of involuntary manslaughter and child neglect.

Jessica said it was the first time she let the boys walk home alone. “It was just devastating… I haven’t stopped crying,” she told reporters. She also questioned why the 76-year-old driver who hit Legend is still allowed to drive: “She shouldn’t still be able to drive.”

However, police confirmed the driver was not impaired and won’t be charged.Witness Summer Williams, who stopped to help, recalled: “Just letting him know that somebody was there… Stay with us, sweetheart.”The judge set the parents’ bail at $1.5 million each. As the community mourns, Legend’s aunt remembered him as “so full of life, wild and free.”