A tragic accident in Alabama took the life of a five-year-old boy. A Russell County Sheriff told CBS News that the boy was forced to exit the car he was riding in on a busy highway as punishment for ‘acting up.’

The child has been identified as Austin Birdseye. He was riding in the car on Saturday, November 28, with his mother’s boyfriend, Bryan Starr. The Sheriff said that the vehicle was traveling on an “exceptionally dangerous road,” according to CBS News. The road was Highway 165.

That night, Alabama State Trooper received multiple 911 calls about a pedestrian being hit by a vehicle on the highway. “Once we got there, we realized that it was a young child who had walked out into the road,” Taylor said.

The real reason the child was on the road

Once troopers arrived at the scene, they were quickly able to ascertain why the child was walking on the highway that night. Starr had put the child in the car and taken him for a drive that night because Austin had been acting up at home.

Taylor told reporters, “He was still acting out and so Mr. Starr pulled off the road and told him to get out of the car. Now, this is 8:00 at night, it’s raining, it’s cold and he tells the child to get out of the car. And the next thing he knows, he walked out into a very busy four-lane and gets hit by an oncoming vehicle.”

Austin was pronounced dead later that night at a local hospital.

Starr was charged with murder, was arrested, and was released on bond not long afterwards. Starr is a member of the military who is stationed at Fort Benning in Georgia, but he lives not far from Highway 165, which means he would know how busy and dangerous the road is.

If Starr is convicted, he faces anywhere from 20 years to life in prison.

Penalties for a murder conviction in Maryland

If you or a loved one is convicted of murder in Maryland, the following penalties can be applied to the case by the justice system:

• 1st degree murder is charged as a felony
• Imprisonment for life
  • Imprisonment for life without the possibility of parole
• 2nd degree murder is charged as a felony
  • Imprisonment for life with or without the possibility of parole

Felony murder occurs when you kill someone while committing a felonious crime. This often leads to a felony murder sentence, which could result in a life in prison sentence.

Facing a murder charge can change your life, especially if you know you had nothing to do with the crime that occurred. An experienced criminal defense attorney who serves the Bowie and Crofton areas can review your case and provide you with an honest assessment of your case. Call Carey Law Office at 301-464-2500 or complete a contact form on our website to schedule a consultation today.