PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) -- A charge has been filed against the mother of Saddiq Washington, the 22-year-old charged in the June 29, 2022, murder of King Hua.
Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer on Friday announced a charge of hindering prosecution against Amanda Washington, who authorities say was driving the vehicle from which her son fired shots at Hua's car, hitting the man through the windshield and causing him to lose control of his car.
"Although it was her son's actions that led to this heartbreaking tragedy, we cannot ignore Amanda Washington's actions. She chose to speed away from the scene of the crime. She chose to remain silent even after the death of Mr. Hua had been announced. It was a catastrophic dereliction of her duties as a parent and as a citizen that led to today's charge," Stollsteimer said.
On the morning of June 29, an eyewitness told police she saw a dark-colored SUV aggressively pull ahead of Hua's car and a man lean out the front passenger window. She said she heard two gunshots before the SUV sped off.
Surveillance video confirmed the account and helped lead investigators to the arrest of Saddiq, according to a statement from the Delaware County district attorney's office.
When questioned by Darby Borough police, his mother Amanda said she was on her way to work and running late on the morning of June 29, and when she got in front of Hua's car, she heard gunfire and realized her son was shooting out of the passenger side of her SUV. Her son said, "Go. Go. Go. Go, Mom," and she continued driving.
She told police she knew her son had a license to carry a firearm and that he owned a gun, but she did not know that he had a gun with him that morning.
She told police her son said, "Mom I hope I didn't kill nobody."
Her bail was set at 10% of $50,000, with electronic home monitoring.
