An Indiana mother’s so-called “game” with her children has resulted in an 8-year-old girl being hospitalized with severe injuries. Jasmine White, 27, is now facing child neglect charges following the incident in South Bend, according to court records.
As reported by NBC affiliate WNDU, White would play a game where she pretended to drive away and leave her kids behind. According to one of her children, the game involved racing to the car, locking the doors, and acting as if she would abandon them.
On August 29, the game took a tragic turn when one of White’s daughters got her foot caught under the rear tire of the moving car. She was pulled to the ground, resulting in multiple serious injuries, including a fractured skull, orbital fractures, severe facial bruising, and a deep cut on her face that exposed bone. The 8-year-old also lost five teeth in the incident, according to WNDU.
The young girl spent several days in the hospital, where she was intubated and placed under IV sedation. Fortunately, she has since been released. One of the girl’s siblings recounted the details of the incident to investigators, describing how White was driving faster than usual during the game. The 8-year-old had been holding onto the car door handle when she was run over.
Surveillance footage reportedly shows White accelerating while her daughter clung to the passenger door handle, reaching speeds of 15 to 20 mph. White now faces charges of neglect of a dependent resulting in serious injury and neglect of a dependent resulting in a dangerous situation.
She was scheduled to appear in court on Monday to address the charges. The incident highlights the dangers of reckless behavior and the tragic consequences that can result from seemingly harmless actions.