California woman who urged daughter, 8, to crawl under train to cross tracks gets 6 years over her death
FRESNO, CALIFORNIA: A 49-year-old California mother has been sentenced to 6 years in prison over the death of her 8-year-old daughter who died while crossing railroad tracks from under a stationary freight train.
Joy Frances Collins was sent to prison for child abuse and endangerment over the death of her daughter Joyanna Harris on December 17, 2018.
What happened to Joy Frances Collins’ daughter?
On December 17, 2018, Joy Frances Collins was with her 9-year-old son and 8-year-old daughter when they were trying to get to a bus stop at about 6 pm. A mile-long train that blocked their route slowed and eventually stopped.
The mother told her son to cross the railroad track to get over to the west side. Collins then told her daughter to follow but the girl was reluctant. However, on being encouraged by the mother to cross the track, she too made her way underneath the rail car and attempted to get to the other side.
Tragically, just then the train lurched forward, leaving the girl “lodged” under the car. She was pulled or dragged on the railroad for approximately 500 feet. Collins managed to pull her daughter out, but authorities arrived to find Joyanna dead.
Local resident Crista Miller recalled, "I heard the little girl say, 'Mom, Mom,' then I heard the train start up, and I told my boyfriend to go help because there was a kid under the train", as per Law&Crime.
Judge sentence Joy Francis Collins to 6 years
Judge Heather Mardel Jones sentenced Collins to six years behind bars for child abuse and endangerment, despite defense attorney Mark Broughton initially seeking probation.
Prosecutor David Devencenzi had requested the judge to impose nine years of imprisonment as a punishment, taking into consideration the tragic end to her 8-year-old daughter.
Furthermore, he asserted that though Collins might experience sadness and remorse she had convinced herself that the events were either accidental or unforeseeable.
He also pointed out that Collins had previously acknowledged leading her son and daughter under freight trains seven times before the fateful day. He noted that the case had not been satisfactorily resolved due to excuses related to Collins' anxiety, PTSD, and dissociation.
Meanwhile Collins stated, "If I could take back my actions, I would. Not a day goes by that I don’t regret that.”
However, Judge Jones used these prior instances against Collins, delivering a sentence closer to the prosecution’s request for nine years. The judge concluded with the statement, “That is akin to someone playing with fire and being shocked at being burned” as per Fresnobee.
