Georgia Mom Whose 4-Year-Old Son Died When They Jaywalked ESCAPES JAIL! Is That Fair?

Little A.J. Newman was hit by a car and killed instantly when his mom took a shortcut home across a busy four-lane road.

Raquel Nelson faced a possible three years behind bars for causing the death of her son A.J. — more jail time than the driver who hit him. But instead of a jail sentence, she has been ordered to carry out 40 hours of community service and placed on probation for a year. The judge then offered a whole new trial! Does that sound fair?

Raquel was convicted of homicide by vehicle, jaywalking and reckless endangerment after the tragedy, which took place in April 2010. She feared she’d be given the maximum three-year sentence in court on July 26 and appeared on the The Today Show on July 25 to beg the judge for compassion.

Now she has the chance to clear her name completely, if she accepts the new trial.

Raquel told anchor Ann Curry on Monday how she was hurrying with her three kids when the accident happened so they could “get home so we wouldn’t have to be in the dark.”

The group were struck by driver Jerry Guy, who then fled the scene. A.J. was killed; Nelson and her younger daughter suffered minor injuries, and her older daughter was not injured.

Police eventually caught up with Guy, who had a history of hit and runs. He was convicted and spent six months behind bars for his part in the tragedy.

What do you think is a fair punishment for Raquel, HollyMoms?

– Ian Garland

More on HollyBaby:

View Comment

The way you worded this article makes it sound like you think she SHOULD go to jail. UNBELIEVEABLE! The guy that commited the HIT AND RUN also “had been drinking earlier in the day while taking pain medication, was partially blind in one eye, and had two previous hit-and-run convictions.” How is the world can you conclude that this woman deserves to go to jail? She didn’t push her child in front of the DRUNK driver, she crossed the street where she wasn’t supposed to. Obviously, you’re not supposed to, but for her to get more time than the animal that thought it was okay to get in a car after drinking, hit a child then DRIVE AWAY seems ridiculous to me.

The judge in the case sentenced her to probation with no jail time, and even offered her a new trial. This is obviously a clear signal that this was a messed up case in the FIRST PLACE.

Share this comment at