Mother sentenced to prison for drunken driving crash that killed 3-year-old son

DETROIT – A woman who pleaded guilty to drinking and driving and then killing her 3-year-old son, Michael Jones, in an car crash in August 2018 was sentenced Tuesday.

Jones was killed after his mother, Charlessia Pelt, got into a crash while drinking and driving. Jones was ejected from the car.

The collision happened on Aug. 9, 2018, at the intersection of 7 Mile Road and Hayes Street.

Police said Charlessia Pelt was speeding up 7 Mile Road into oncoming traffic and passed a Detroit police officer. Witnesses told police she was on her cellphone when she reached Hayes Street.

The child's father, Lonell Jones, said it was a painful day.

"As much as it kills me to be here today, I have to be the voice of my son," Jones said. "(On) August 9, I got a call from a stranger telling me that my son was in an accident."

"She knows the damage she caused," Jones said.

"People act like I didn't love my baby. He was my everything," Pelt said.

The judge had some tough words for Pelt before sentencing.

"When you tell me that you really care about your kids, I have (a) little doubt in my mind because of the risk you're putting them in," the judge said.

Pelt was sentenced to three to 15 years in prison.

WATCHMother charged in wrong-way Detroit crash that killed 3-year-old son sentenced

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About the Authors

Koco joined the Local 4 News team in September of 2016. She was born and raised in Metro Detroit, attended Central Michigan University, and previously worked at WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids.

Kayla is a Web Producer for ClickOnDetroit. Before she joined the team in 2018 she worked at WILX in Lansing as a digital producer.

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