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28-year-old Veronda Gladney was arrested after her seven-year-old daughter died due to falling out of a moving SUV along the 5 Freeway in Santa Clarita, California.
According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), Veronda Gladney from Lancaster and her boyfriend, 39-year-old Michael Branch from Hawthorne, were detained for endangering the welfare of a child. The incident occurred at around three in the morning when Veronda Gladney was driving the car near Weldon Canyon Road with Branch in the passenger seat.
After receiving a report claiming that the vehicle "had struck an unknown stationary object, which was blocking the roadway," officers arrived on the scene.
Speaking to ABC, CHP Officer Joshua Greengard said:
"The girl was in the very back portion of the 1999 Lincoln Navigator. There were witnesses saying that she was either hanging out or playing in the back portion, the very very back portion of it. That window was already broken out, and it looks like she may have fallen out of the vehicle and then tragically died."
The girl was not strapped into the child seat when she fell out of the window, Greengard stated in his statement.
Veronda Gladney faces child abuse charges following daughter's death
According to California law, all children in the back seat of a vehicle under the age of eight must be strapped up in a car seat or a booster seat. Children who are eight years of age or have reached a height of 4 ft. 9 inches may be restrained by a booster seat, but they must always have a seat belt on.
According to Ricardo Santiago, a representative for the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, Veronda Gladney was charged with one felony and one misdemeanor count of child abuse causing death, and a single felony count of vehicular manslaughter. Branch was accused of one count of misdemeanor child abuse.
According to Santiago, both Veronda Gladney and her boyfriend entered not guilty pleas on Wednesday, July 6.
In his statement, Greengard further added:
"I've never had a kid fall out of a moving vehicle. I've been to numerous tragedies in my time, but this one is very unfortunate. It's very sad."
According to him, Veronda Gladney and the other drivers that struck the child were in great distress when they arrived at the scene.
He added:
"From other officers, I know she was distraught also."
The identity of the 7-year-old is still being concealed, according to representatives of the Los Angeles County Coroner's office.
Gladney is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday, July 13, at the San Fernando courthouse to face allegations of manslaughter and other charges.
Anyone with information pertaining to the case is encouraged to call the CHP Newhall Area Office at 661-600-1600 as the incident is still being investigated.
