Two individuals were charged with child abuse in Kinston following a traffic stop conducted by police on Wednesday evening. According to the Kinston Police Department, officers stopped a vehicle that was suspected to be linked to a disturbance call they had received earlier.
Authorities identified the driver as 32-year-old William Brown from La Grange and the passenger as 24-year-old Hailey Cummings from Kinston. Police determined that both individuals were impaired at the time of the stop. Inside the vehicle, officers discovered four children, ranging in age from eight months to six years old.
Following the stop, Brown was charged with driving while impaired (DWI) and four counts of child abuse. Cummings was also charged with four counts of child abuse.
Law enforcement has not provided additional details regarding the condition of the children or whether they were placed in protective custody. The circumstances surrounding the initial disturbance call that led to the traffic stop have also not been disclosed. Authorities continue to investigate the incident.
