The 18-month-old allegedly got out of her mother’s vehicle as it was parked in their driveway, with her mother comatose inside.
Cora, an 18-month-old girl from Harris County, Texas, died as a consequence of a tragedy, and her mother and mother’s boyfriend were arrested.
According to a social media post by Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, the incident occurred in the late morning or early afternoon on Saturday in the driveway of the suspect’s home in the Tromball neighborhood just outside of Houston.
According to Gonzalez, the incident began with the toddler and her mother, Morgan Ottinger, 31, inside their vehicle, with Ottinger “allegedly passed out/or asleep.”
The child eventually got out of the car and was standing in the driveway when the mother’s boyfriend, 41-year-old Cameron Link, drew up behind the wheel of his own car and struck her.
When paramedics got at the site around 12:30 p.m., it was too late to save her life. She was pronounced dead. Gonzalez stated in his statements that there was a “delay in contacting 911 for assistance,” but did not provide any further details.
There was no impairment found affecting the driver at the time the toddler was struck and killed.
“The child was out and about unsupervised,” Harris County Sheriff Maj. Anthony McConnell told ABC affiliate KTRK .
“You ask how could this have happened?” he added. “It should’ve never happened and I can’t explain how it did happen. We have people that are just not taking care of their child like they should
Ottinger was arrested and charged with endangering a kid. He is being held on a $40,000 bond. Link and Ottinger were both arrested on open felony warrants for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and theft and are being held without release in the Harris County Jail.
