A mother on the wrong track is arrested for “playing chicken” on the train tracks with her four year

Palmdale Deputies Help Child with Mother on Wrong Track

A mother on the wrong track is arrested for “playing chicken” on the train tracks with her four year old child. Palmdale Sheriff Station wants to warn residents of the dangers associated with train track accidents, which can be fatal.

On Wednesday, November 16, 2017, Palmdale Sheriff’s Station received a call for service regarding a woman and a child sitting on the train tracks near the intersection of 6th Street East and Palmdale Boulevard. Detective Borits and Deputy Hegge arrived to the location and saw a child sitting on the train tracks. Meanwhile, the child’s mother was 20 yards away looking down on her cell phone.

The deputies immediately told the mother and child to get off the train tracks and guided them to an area located a safe distance away from the train tracks. Detective Borits conversed with the mother and asked her what she was doing. The mother told them that every day she has her child sit on the train tracks and as the train gets near she tells him to move out of the way as the train goes past.

Detective Bortis cautioned her on the dangers of “playing chicken” with the train. He warned her of a recent fatality of man hit by a train just north of the location. The mother expressed no due regard for the safety of her child and continued to state it was okay because they did it every day.

The mother was arrested for willfully placing her child in a dangerous situation. Ashley Hawkins FW/26, was charged with child endangerment, 273a(a) P.C. and was booked at Palmdale Sheriff’s Station. She has a future court date of December 20, 2017 .The child was taken into protective custody by Department of Family and Child Services.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department encourages parents to educate their children on the dangers of walking and/or playing on train tracks.

Picture Courtesy of LASD

Deputy David Ibanez Palmdale Sheriff’s Station 750 E. Avenue Q, Palmdale, CA 93550 661-272-2400 Website LASD HQ: http://www.lasd.org