(PEORIA, Ariz) -- A mother in Arizona has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after driving her pickup truck through “a park full of kids” and running over a 12-year-old girl, officials said.
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced earlier this week that 31-year-old Brandie Gotch was handed the 10 year sentence which stemmed from an incident that took place in February 2024 when her children “were fighting with each other at Westgreen Park in Peoria,” according to a statement from the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, and that “other kids at the park were egging them on and recording the altercation.”
“As this was happening, Gotch arrived at the park to pick up her kids. While walking them back to her truck, a boy on the playground called her a name,” officials said. Gotch went over to him and started pulling him by his hair. A second boy called her a name, and she chased him around the park with a stick. Gotch then got into her truck with her kids. The second boy stood behind the truck, dancing and mocking her. He eventually moved away to stand by his sister.”
It is then that authorities say Gotch backed out of the parking space and revved her engine before driving directly at the boy and his sister.
“He was able to jump out of the way, but his sister’s leg was run over,” officials said. “Gotch kept driving through the park where more than a dozen other children were at the time, including some who had to run to get out of the truck’s path.”
Gotch immediately drove away from the park but was arrested at home a short time later, officials said.
“This could have been a much more tragic situation; thankfully the worst injury in this was a sprained ankle and some bad scrapes and bruises,” said Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. “Even when angry or frustrated, it’s up to adults to act like adults. It is never okay to take to take our rage out on a kid.”
Gotch pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated assault -- a class two dangerous felony -- will now serve 10 years in prison, according to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.
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