An Indiana mother has been arrested after a tragic incident in which her 8-year-old daughter was severely injured while reportedly playing a dangerous “racing game” involving the family’s vehicle. Jasmine White, 27, faces serious charges, including neglect of a dependent resulting in serious injury, after police say she accidentally ran over her daughter at the Cedar Glen Apartments in South Bend on August 29.
According to court documents, White was driving her Chevrolet Equinox in the apartment complex parking lot while her 8-year-old daughter and other children were running alongside the vehicle. Police report that White was playing a risky game she routinely engaged in with her children, where she would race them to the car, lock the doors, and pretend to drive off without them.
On this occasion, however, witnesses say White was driving faster than usual, and her daughter was holding onto the front passenger door handle when tragedy struck. The girl’s foot got caught under the rear tire, causing her to fall and sustain severe head injuries as she was pulled to the ground.
Video footage of the incident revealed the vehicle accelerating to approximately 15-20 miles per hour, with the 8-year-old still clinging to the door handle before being thrown to the ground. The injuries she sustained were devastating: she suffered skull and orbital fractures, abrasions, and a large facial laceration that exposed part of her skull. The young girl also lost five teeth in the accident.
Emergency responders rushed her to the hospital in critical condition. Physicians were able to stabilize her after several days of intensive care, during which she was intubated and sedated. After multiple days in the hospital, the girl was released, though her recovery from the severe injuries will likely take time.
One of the girl’s siblings, a 6-year-old, confirmed to investigators that the game was something White regularly did with the children, pretending to drive away and leave them behind. However, on this occasion, the mother drove faster than usual, leading to the horrific accident.
White has been charged with neglect of a dependent, placing the child in a dangerous situation, in addition to the charge of neglect resulting in serious injury. She is expected to appear in court on Monday, according to St. Joseph County Jail records.
This tragic incident has left the community in shock, raising concerns about the safety of children and the importance of responsible supervision.