A Lancaster woman and her boyfriend were arrested in connection with the death of the woman’s 7-year-old daughter, who fell from a moving vehicle onto the northbound Golden State (5) Freeway over the weekend, authorities said Wednesday.
The girl was fatally injured around 3:40 a.m. Saturday, July 2, near Weldon Canyon Road, the California Highway Patrol reported.
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Officers went to the scene after receiving a 911 call from a motorist reporting that a vehicle “had struck an unknown stationary object, which was blocking the roadway …,” according to a CHP statement.
“It was determined that the unknown object was a child which had been struck by several vehicles. After initial investigations it was determined the 7-year-old female child fell out of the moving 1999 Lincoln Navigator through … an open window, and as a result sustained fatal injuries. At this time the circumstances behind how she fell out are under investigation,” the CHP reported.
“The (girl’s) mother, Veronda Gladney, and the mother’s boyfriend, Michael Branch … have been arrested for child endangerment,” the CHP reported.
The girl’s name was withheld, pending notification of her next of kin.
According to the CHP, Veronda Gladney, 28, of Lancaster, was the driver of the Lincoln Navigator, and Michael Branch, 39, of Hawthorne, was a passenger, as was the girl, also from Lancaster.
Anyone with information on this case is encouraged to contact the CHP Newhall Area Office at 661-600-1600.
UPDATE: Michael Aaron Branch was charged with one misdemeanor count of child abuse under circumstances or conditions other than great bodily injury or death. He pleaded not guilty to the charge in a San Fernando courtroom on Wednesday, July 6, and he was released late Wednesday afternoon on his own recognizance, according to jail records. A pretrial hearing is scheduled July 27 in Dept. 1, of the Santa Clarita Courthouse. It was not immediately clear if the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office had made a filing decision involving the girl’s mother, Veronda Gladney.
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P&A says
Come on people show some respect for the lil girl. Why is everything always about color. We all bleed the same color. Black , white, brown, yellow, it don’t matter. That lil girl shouldn’t ever had to die like that. People need to grow the f up.
Tonia smith says
I was literally thinking the same thing and then I ran across your comment and you literally took the thoughts right out of my mind cuz I was married to post it and then I saw your comment yeah I was thinking the same thing because it’s just a hell of fishy no one in the right mind would put their kid in a car at 3 in the morning with a broke window playing with dolls and a 7 year old honestly they’re smart enough not to hang out of a window right at least my kids I mean although they never like hung out a Windows but my kids were never dumb or stupid and that little girl ain’t either so I think they were trying to hide something that needs to be checked into then if not then sorry for their loss
Ms.ang Mel.tang says
Come on you always got to make it a race thing why do you always have to make it a race thing be honest and admit it’s either like a white it’s not a right situation or does it sound like a normal situation and circumstances of what happened at 3 a.m. Broken Window no restraint in car seat or seat belt chime hello kitchen be sleeping or something at 3 a.m. not playing in the back know you have a broken window going that fast tell why she been with you guys at that hour to be her own bed or with family member babysitting them like normal children at 7 years old do since fishy if you ask me black or white or brown yellow that’s irrelevant Point Blank.!!
Ms Ang mel.tang says
I meant SOUNDS FISHY / shady if u Ask me??
mothers love says
there is people on here hella trying to defend what went on.. I don’t care if she was black, white brown she went out the back of a window going probably 75 our faster. she was a child I’m sorry but it don’t look good why would she be in the back playing in a car no seat belt no supervision. I mean and a broke window at that. come on and 3 am in the morning what was going on here. we need to say prayers for the baby girl that lost her life so traumatically in this situation. I pray her angles were with her and took her before all this happen. and for the lady on here so mad at wat people are saying you sound guilty your self no-one saw nothing it was dark, people did not even know what they hit.so instead of being so angry about black and white see why your peoples let her in the back of the truck with a broke window to play with dolls at 3am. if u want to give money do that, if not leave a prayer for that beautiful little girl that was taken to soon.
Veronica Martinez says
WHY DOES GO FUND ME SAY SHE WONDERED OFF TO FREE WHEN SHE ACTUALLY FELL OUT OF MOTHERS VEHICLE ?? WHY LIE TO PEOPLE??
sinsear96 says
gofundme??? Jeez,…they sure didn’t waste any time. What’s it for….a new Navigator?
T8b says
Why you assume that .cause she’s black ? Bet if she was white you wouldn’t be assuming but donating and saying how sad this is. So if you don’t know the circumstances don’t say anything negative. Your a sick individual. To think someone is trying to get over. Probably something you would do
T8b says
https://gofund.me/4b5d3b4a here’s a link to the go fund me account plz anything helps
T8b says
Can someone put the go share the go fund me to help bury the lil girl the family needs a lot of help
Tom says
Poor little girl. Makes you wonder if she was murdered somewhere else, and thrown on the freeway to hide evidence.
Blah says
No stupid they made it clear witnesses saw her playing around in the back and hanging out of the window before she fell out. Goodness
Betty says
She was probably murdered and then thrown out looking like she was playing to make it look less obvious. That’s how those type kill
T8b says
Those type? Funny how my last comment got taken down shows what type of person you are. stereotyping people because of the color of there skin. But don’t know anything about. The situation.
Tonia smith says
I was literally thinking the same thing and then I ran across your comment and you literally took the thoughts right out of my mind cuz I was just about to post it and then I saw your comment yeah I was thinking the same thing because it’s just a hell of fishy no one in the right mind would put their kid in a car at 3 in the morning with a broke window playing with dolls and a 7 year old honestly they’re smart enough not to hang out of a window right at least my kids I mean although they never like hung out a Windows but my kids were never dumb or stupid and that little girl ain’t either so I think they were trying to hide something that needs to be checked into then if not then sorry for their loss