GOLDEN, Colo.—A back-seat driver blamed for a causing a wreck that seriously injured a 3-year-old boy was sentenced Friday to 36 years in prison.
Authorities say Kenneth Leon Childress had given his 17-year-old son alcohol last November, then sat in the back seat while the teen drove, hitting him on the back of his head and telling him to speed up.
The car rammed a Jeep after running red lights in the west Denver suburb of Lakewood, authorities said.
Authorities said the 3-year-old was ejected from the back seat, where he had been sitting with Childress but was not in a child restraint. The boy suffered a closed-head injury, ruptured spleen, broken jaw, nerve damage and severe facial cuts.
Childress, 35, of Aurora was convicted of child abuse, vehicular assault, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, reckless driving and reckless endangerment.
Jefferson County District Attorney Scott Storey said it may be the first time in Colorado that a passenger was convicted of vehicular assault. Childress had two prior felony convictions and was on probation for an alcohol-related driving offense.
Childress’ 17-year-old son was identified as Brett Lafferty. It wasn’t immediately clear whether he faced charges.
Lafferty and his 19-year-old girlfriend, who was a passenger in the front seat, were both injured but not as seriously as the 3-year-old. No details on their injuries were released.
