http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/yahoolatestnews/stories/031308dnmetjump.4879fa8d.html Two children struggled Wednesday morning before their mother threw them 22 feet from an overpass into oncoming Interstate 30 rush-hour traffic, Dallas police said.
Khandi Busby, 27, then jumped herself from the overpass railing on Jim Miller Road, police said. All three survived and were taken to local hospitals where the mom was listed in critical condition after being struck by a vehicle. The two boys were able to communicate with paramedics at the scene and one boy may have internal injuries.
"We don't know the reason at this point why she did this," said Dallas police Sgt. Gil Cerda.
The woman had been riding in a yellow Cadillac with her two children, Gary Ford, 8, and Derrick Tennison, 6, and a man believed to be the woman's father, police said. The family was on their way to visit a friend.
It was unclear whether the adults had been fighting, but at some point the father stopped at a nearby gas station and Ms. Busby got out of the car with the children. She walked to the overpass, threatened to jump, and her father followed, apparently trying to prevent her from hurting herself or her children, police said.
The father, however could not reach them in time. At about 6:30 a.m., Ms. Busby threw Gary and Derrick over the railing and then jumped.
Police said multiple witnesses saw the incident and alerted 911. It did not appear that any motorists were injured from the falls.
Ms. Busby was taken to Baylor University Medical Cener at Dallas, and the boys were transported to Children's Medical Center Dallas. Dallas police said earlier that the boys may have been grazed by passing traffic. But Lt. C.L. Williams said at a news conference later in the day that they were still trying to verify whether anyone had been struck by vehicles after they fell.
Interstate 30 at Jim Miller Road
“It ‘s a miracle both kids weren’t hit directly by a passing car,” Dallas police Sgt. David Burroughs said.
Police said the father had left the scene after the woman jumped, but investigators later located him at Baylor hospital with Ms. Busby.
Dallas police said Child Protective Services has had involvement with the family and that Ms. Busby has a criminal record.
