New Jersey mother involved in tragic incident while driving without valid license
A New Jersey mother has been charged in connection with the death of her infant child after a tragic accident that occurred while she was driving without a valid license, according to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.
The incident took place in Jackson Township on Saturday, resulting in the death of Wendy Castillo-Torres’ 10-month-old son.
Investigation reveals devastating sequence of events
According to the prosecution, police were called to Grawtown Road around 6:15 pm after an infant was allegedly struck by a car.
When officers arrived at the scene, they discovered a non-responsive boy with severe injuries. The child was transported to Lakewood’s Monmouth Medical Centre Southern Campus but was pronounced dead upon arrival.
A thorough investigation was conducted by the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, Jackson Township Police Department, and Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Vehicular Homicide Squad.
Investigators determined that Castillo-Torres had been using a friend’s garage to clean cars, with her 10-month-old son accompanying her to the location on Grawtown Road.
The baby had been placed in a bouncer seat positioned between two vehicles. After cleaning one of the cars, Castillo-Torres got inside but accidentally put the vehicle in drive instead of reverse, causing the infant to become trapped between the two cars.
A companion immediately called 911 as Castillo-Torres quickly shifted the car into reverse, but the intervention came too late to save the child.
The investigation revealed that Castillo-Torres did not possess a valid driver’s license at the time of the accident.
“Our investigation indicates that this is a tragic accident, and our thoughts and prayers are with the family at this time,” Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said.
Prosecutors stated that Castillo-Torres has received a summons for the unfortunate crime and awaits her next appearance in Ocean County Superior Court.
Similar tragic incidents
In February 2024, another tragic incident occurred when a baby girl in the US died after her mother accidentally placed her in an oven instead of a crib for a nap. When Missouri police officers responded to the Kansas City home, they found the unresponsive baby severely burned.
The police described the baby’s death as “gruesome” and pronounced the infant dead at the scene.
