Detroit aunt who recorded young nieces and nephew hanging out of car window while driving slammed with child abuse, reckless driving charges

 Ashjunaria Virginia Townsend
Ashjunaria Virginia Townsend Photo credit Detroit PD

WAYNE COUNTY (WWJ) - A Detroit woman is facing multiple charges after authorities said she not only allowed her three nieces and nephew -- all under the age of 10-- to hang out of a moving vehicle, but she also filmed it on her cell phone this month.

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy charged Ashjunaria Virginia Townsend, 23, of Detroit, in connection with the endangerment of a 5-year-old boy, a 9-year-old girl, and two 10-year-old girls, all of Detroit.

Worthy identified Townsend as the aunt of the children.

According to the prosecutor's office, Townsend allegedly allowed the victims to "hang out" of the vehicle she was driving in the 9900 block of Somerset Avenue in Detroit back on Feb. 10.

Authorities added that Townsend used her cellphone while she was driving to record the victims.

She was arrested on February 19 following an investigation by the Detroit Police Department.

Townsend was charged with four counts of Second-Degree Child Abuse and one count of Reckless Driving in connection to the incident, Worthy's office said.

She was arraigned Tuesday in 36th District Court and was given a $50,000 personal bond. Her next scheduled court appearance is a probable cause conference scheduled for Feb. 27, to be followed by a preliminary exam set for March 5.

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Featured Image Photo Credit: Detroit PD