An onlooker who tried to stop the woman was also dragged by the car.
On September 16, 2021, Erin Garcia was drunk and attempting to drive away from her mother's house in Placentia in California's Orange County. Since it was late in the day, Garcia's 8-year-old daughter was worried about her mom's safety. So, she immediately ran outside and tried to stop her mom from driving, according to CBS Los Angeles.
The girl held on to the car's passenger door handle, but the mother was probably too inebriated to notice, and so, she was dragged away alongside the vehicle for around 300 feet, scraping her legs and feet, a police release by the Placentia Police Dept, states.
Immediately, a male onlooker and Garcia's grandmother tried their best to get 44-year-old Garcia out of the car but failed, police say. According to the statement, Garcia first stopped when she saw them, but then, she tried to drive off and also dragged the onlooker a short distance.
When the cops arrived, they saw that the young girl had abrasions to her leg and feet. She was being accompanied by her grandmother.
Later, the woman was found hiding behind some bushes in her mother's backyard. But, when police arrived, Garcia resisted and kicked the officers when they tried to arrest her, the report states. She was ultimately taken into custody without further incident.
The girl and the onlooker were both taken to hospital with moderate injuries, according to the report, states Insider.
Eventually, Garcia was taken to Orange County Jail and has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon, child endangerment, and battery against an officer, the statement says. She is being held on $100,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in court Monday.
Per KidsHealth, living with a parent that has a substance use disorder is hard. While it is unclear if Garcia was actually a heavy drinker, it may be hard for the daughter, given how she sometimes has to take care of her mother when she ends up making irrational decisions.
Also, people who grow up with parents who have issues also tend to follow in the same footsteps, and sometimes it can be quite harmful. Hopefully, Garcia's daughter doesn't experience too much from her injuries, and from what she had to go through.
References:
https://www.facebook.com/placentiapd/photos/pcb.2669684319994549/2669684163327898
https://www.insider.com/drunk-california-woman-dragged-daughter-8-alongside-car-police-say-2021-9
Cover Image Source: Facebook | Placentia Police Dept
