Irving Mother Of Deceased 8-Month-Old Who Fell Out Of Moving Car Charged
IRVING, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - The mother of an 8-month-old girl who was run over after she fell out of a moving car in North Irving on Nov. 15 is now facing charges.
Tangela Smith is charged with one count of injury to a child causing serious bodily injury to baby Kassidy. Smith currently lives in Louisiana. Irving police said her other children, ages 2, 3 and 6 were placed with a relative there. She also faces three additional charges of endangering a child for her other kids, police said. None of them were secured in seatbelts or child safety seats either.
Irving police said Smith was turning from N. MacArthur Boulevard onto westbound Ranchview Drive when somehow the back, right passenger-side door opened and Kassidy fell out of the car into the roadway.
The baby was then fatally struck by another car, according to witnesses.
"We just know that a very tragic incident occurred where somehow, because of something that happened inside that vehicle, an 8-month-old was able to fall out of the car," Officer Robert Reeves with the Irving Police Department said. "That in and of itself is the main thing that is just heartbreaking."
Reeves said Kassidy's death a tragic reminder for anyone who has kids that they have to be properly restrained inside a car.
"Whether the child wants to or not shouldn't be the reason whether or not the child is secured in the car," he said. "Whoever is operating that vehicle, it's their responsibility to make sure all children are in the age-appropriate seats they're required to be in."
Police said they have contacted Smith and told her the warrants are active. She has two options -- turn herself in or have law enforcement officials extradite her back to Texas.