Posted on 06/30/2017 3:44:24 PM PDT by BBell
As investigators probe the death of a 2-year-old girl whose father led Louisiana State Police troopers on a 7-mile chase through New Orleans that ended in a fatal crash and suicide, the girl's relatives are questioning whether the deadly pursuit was necessary at all.
"It was a license plate, and now our baby is dead because they pursued this guy," Alice Joseph, the deceased toddler's great grandmother told WVUE-Fox 8.
Troopers initiated the chase because the car was affixed with a stolen license plate, agency spokeswoman Trooper First Class Melissa Matey said Wednesday. She said the car had tinted windows, and troopers did not know the girl and another passenger were in the car. An expert in vehicle pursuits said the possibility that a child would be in a fleeing car would not typically be a factor officers consider when deciding if pursuing a suspect is worth the risk.
"Fortunately, most people are a whole lot more concerned about the safety of their children to not get into a police chase with (their child) in the car," said Daniel Kennedy, an adjunct criminal justice professor at Oakland University.
Two-year-old Ivory Washington and an unidentified male passenger were killed in the crash before the car's driver, identified by authorities as Ivory's father -- Kenneth Davis, 21 -- fatally shot himself. The grim outcome has reignited discussion about the appropriateness of police chases, and the circumstances that surround them, in an urban area like New Orleans.
"The police community has been debating this issue for a long time, there is no simple answer other than just don't chase anybody," Kennedy said. "But that isn't going to work either."
Kennedy, whose 2006 article, 'A comparative analysis of police vehicle pursuit policies," appeared in Justice Quarterly, said almost every law enforcement agency has a
(Excerpt) Read more at nola.com ...
Let’s just call it a very late term abortion and move on.
Yup. Really, that has very little to do relative in factoring in this case, but in more cases than not this is the scenario.
One day the cruiser will have a mechanism to EMP the electrical system of a car rendering it unusable. The technology is out there.
Do you know whether the police even knew a child was in the vehicle, or that the passenger was not wearing a safety belt? Kenneth Davis knew, and also knew he was armed and dangerous. Should police not bother to pursue a suicidal criminal who recklessly endangers the lives even of his own child and friend, much less bystanders? Implying this was only a matter of recovering stolen property seems inaccurate.
My car’s insured too, but I have no idea what point you are trying to make as it relates to this case. You’re creating a scenario that didn’t happen in this incident. Try again.
What was she doing in the left lane if there were no other cars on the road? Was she driving in the UK?
“What is up with these people?”
Perhaps they figure that if enough kids are killed, the cops will be forced into not chasing anymore.
With today’s technology, car chases are stupid. Especially if it is for a traffic offense. High speed car chases are much more dangerous to innocent drivers than are any of the possible offenses being pursued. Identifying cars is solvable at the factory. Do it there.
State Police said Wednesday the girl was not properly restrained. Matey elaborated Thursday, saying the toddler was in a "high-back booster" seat that was not properly strapped onto the car seat when she was thrown from the car. While the lap strap was fastened to the booster seat, Matey said, the shoulder strap appeared to have been pushed behind the booster. Children Washington's age are too young and small for booster seats, Matey said, and are required by law to be fastened in either a rear-or forward-facing car seat with a five-point harness.
Yes, And it scares me as it could easily get in the wrong hands.
“What was she doing in the left lane if there were no other cars on the road? Was she driving in the UK?”
It’s a two lane interstate. She entered the interstate and just got into the left lane - as many people do. She didn’t notice there were no cars until she drove a bit, and then the car chase was passing her. This is my wife we’re talking about, and it was a serious situation that upset me tremendously. Our son was an infant at the time. Don’t understand your point.
I don’t know what state you live in, but here in NY State, when there’s two lanes, you’re taught to stay in the right hand land, and only use the left lane if you intend to pass someone, or if there’s an exit lane coming up on the left.
She was also not seatbelted.
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