Split-second decisions are the toughest, because without careful deliberation and consideration of possibly consequences, lives can be ruined forever.
Just look at what happened with this mom, who made a clear, conscious choice, but might not have considered all the possible ways the situation could, and likely would, go wrong, with lasting consequences. I’m sure she wishes she could have that moment back and make a different choice, but it’s too late now.
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A Michigan mother knows she has some incredibly supportive friends after they spoke up in her defense at her trial.
Tiffany Kosakowski, a 36-year-old mother of two, pleaded guilty to reckless driving in a bizarre and horrific incident that left her 9-year-old son severely and permanently injured after she “knowingly” ran him over with her SUV.
The strange, tragic case started one morning in December 2018 when Kosakowski was dropping her kids off at school.
As WZZM reported, the boy, who was 8 years old at the time, didn’t want to go to school that day and followed his mother back out of the building that morning.
The school’s surveillance camera and witnesses saw the boy hanging off the side of his mom’s SUV as she drove away.
The boy managed to hang on for about 50 yards as the vehicle swerved its way down the street.
But eventually he lost his grip on the door handle, fell, and was run over by the rear passenger tire.
“She stopped right away,” Kent County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Joel Roon told WOOD. But it was clear from both the video and eyewitness accounts that it wasn’t just a tragic accident, because Kosakowski knew her son was there and hanging on.
“There are additional moments leading up to that moment that were caught on camera,” said Roon.
The swerving right and left on the road was an attempt to shake the boy off. “Ms. Kosakowsi admitted to moving the steering wheel from left to right, then accelerating the vehicle knowing [her son] continued to be next to the vehicle,” court documents stated.
The boy suffered injuries to his torso and his head, including broken bones and a traumatic brain injury, and now requires constant care.
Following her arrest, Kosakowski showed obvious remorse.
“She’s been cooperating with investigators fully and I think most of her time has probably been spent at the hospital,” Roon said.
And while she was initially charged with child abuse and reckless driving causing serious injury, she later pleaded guilty to reckless driving causing serious injury, receiving a sentence of 30 days in jail.
Supporters really stepped up for Kosakowski’s sentencing.
Judge Benson said he received 30 letters from people who knew her either from church or school, who stepped up to defend her.
They have also helped with her legal costs, as a GoFundMe page set up for Kosakowski has raised more than $3,000 over three months.
The outpouring surprised the judge, who had some harsh words.
“Of the 30 people who wrote the letters, I’ll be quite blunt with you — I am not sure all of them would be as supportive, if they, like I, watched the security footage of this incident which is simply inexcusable,” he said.
“It was really hard to watch, and I am not sure you would enjoy as much support as you evidently do, had that been widely distributed.”
Judge Benson is allowing Kosakowski to serve her 30 days over weekends so she can go to doctor’s appointments with her son on weekdays.
However, her parental rights are up in the air at the moment and will be determined in a separate case.
During her sentencing hearing, Kosakowski said she had to “live with this for the rest of my life.”
So does her son.
