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Mother charged after 3-year-old falls from escalator at Charlotte airport and dies
Two months after a toddler fell from an escalator at Charlotte Douglas International Airport and died, his mother is facing child abuse and neglect charges.
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By NBC Charlotte
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Two months after a toddler fell from an escalator at Charlotte Douglas International Airport and died, his mother is facing child abuse and neglect charges.
Jiterria Lightner said she was traveling alone with her kids the night her son fell from the top of an escalator. He died three days later on Sept. 28 from "blunt force injuries, fall from height," NBC Charlotte reported.
Lightner’s attorney, Michael Greene, said she was in a chair less than 15 feet away trying to arrange a ride home, as her kids, ages 2, 3 and 4 years old, made their way to an unrestricted space between the escalator and stairs.
"It appears that he was trying to reach over to grab the stair railing…and that's when he took the unfortunate fall," Greene said.
If convicted, Greene said Lightner’s three misdemeanor charges carry up to 150 days in jail.
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