Mother of victim sentenced in hit-and-run

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MARIETTA, Ga., July 26 (UPI) -- A judge sentenced a Marietta, Ga., mother to a year's probation and 40 hours community service for her role in the hit-and-run death of her 4-year-old son.

Raquel Nelson, 30, was sentenced Tuesday morning in Cobb County court for her July 12 conviction for second-degree vehicular homicide, reckless conduct and failure to use a crosswalk, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. The judge also gave Nelson the option of having another trial.

Nelson was crossing the four-lane street with her three children on the night of April 10, 2010, when a van hit and killed her son, A.J., WXIA-TV reported.

Jerry Guy, the van driver, fled the scene and was later turned in by an acquaintance. He pleaded guilty in court and served six months of a five-year sentence, the remainder of which will be served on probation.

Guy had previously been convicted of similar charges.

"Even though he has had a history of it, nobody gets up that day and says, 'I'm going to kill a 4-year-old,'" Nelson said in an interview. "However, to come after me so much harder than they did him is a slap in the face."

David Savoy, Nelson's attorney, said he would discuss the situation with his client, but that she "wants to proceed" with the new trial.