Dad charged in 7-year-old’s death after she’s hit by car on highway, CA officials say
A man has been arrested months after his 7-year-old daughter was fatally struck by a car while she was wandering on a California highway, officials said.
Jermain Gonzalez, 42, of Prunedale, has been charged with second-degree murder and felony child abuse following his daughter’s death in April, California Highway Patrol’s Monterey division said in a July 6 Facebook post.
On April 7, Gonzalez’s daughter ran “away late at night” while under his care and wandered onto state Route 156 before also ambling on U.S. Highway 101 in Salinas, where she was struck by a car shortly before 11 p.m., CHP said.
An investigation showed that Gonzalez “was fully aware of his daughter’s strong propensity to elope,” according to CHP.
Three weeks prior, CHP said it found the girl “running on US-101” late in the night and rescued her.
Despite knowing about his daughter’s urge to run away, Gonzalez did not take the proper precautions to ensure his daughter’s safety, CHP said.
Gonzalez also “knowingly and willingly displayed negligence,” which put his daughter in danger and ultimately led to her death, according to CHP.
Salinas is about 60 miles south of San Jose.
This story was originally published July 6, 2023 at 6:48 PM with the headline "Dad charged in 7-year-old’s death after she’s hit by car on highway, CA officials say."
