An Ohio couple has been arrested on felony child neglect and endangerment charges following a vehicle accident that caused severe injuries to two of their three children.
According to a police report filed by a Fayette County Sheriff’s Deputy, Robert Alan Day, 33, of Orwell, Ohio, was driving along U.S. Route 19 in Hico on Aug. 29 when he lost control of the vehicle and “hit a dirt and rock embankment, which caused [the vehicle] to flip over, coming to rest on its roof several feet away.”
Day’s wife, Rachael Marie, 31, was in the passenger seat. Their three children ages 11, 10 and 6 had been riding in the back seat at the time of the accident, the report states.
Upon arrival at the scene, the officer noted that it was apparent the family had been living out of the vehicle. Several witnesses told the officer that before the accident, they noticed the vehicle “weaving across the road” in the Summersville area, nearly hitting a guardrail at one point. One of those witnesses had called 911 to report the erratic driving.
Rachael Day and the 10-year-old child were taken to Plateau Medical Center by EMS. The two other children were airlifted to Charleston Area Medical Center with severe injuries.
The 11-year-old child had been ejected from the vehicle and was suffering from severe lacerations to the torso and a nearly severed right arm, the report states. The six-year-old child was suffering from two skull fractures and a spinal fracture.
During an interview with Rachael Day, she told the officer and a social worker that she and her husband had been “struggling with addiction for nearly 10 years or more,” the report alleges. She also stated that they had taken non-prescribed suboxone strips prior to getting in the car that day. They had been living in their vehicle for about 4 months.
The couple was allegedly on their way to Florida to stay with family.
Rachael Day was arrested on charges of child neglect and child endangerment. She is at Southern Regional Jail on $5,000 bail.
Robert Day was also arrested on charges of child neglect and child endangerment. He faces additional charges of driving suspended, no insurance and having passengers under the age of 18 with no seatbelts. He is at Southern Regional Jail on $10,000 bail.
Child Protective Services is involved and securing the children.
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