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Newport News mother faces 9 charges after leaving children in submerged car

Submerged car
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NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Court documents claim 27-year-old Reality Goodwin drove her car into a retention pond at a Newport News apartment complex Monday night and walked away, leaving her three young sons in the submerged vehicle.

The documents claim bystanders rescued the three young boys, ages 2, 4, and 7, by cutting their seatbelts. Police say the boys were uninjured.

Bystanders save children from car in Newport News retention pond

Goodwin left the scene according to court documents, and when police found her outside of a nearby apartment she became combative. The documents claim she kicked and spat on an officer. The documents also say she appeared intoxicated and smelled of alcohol.

Goodwin was taken to the hospital where she spat on a second officer, according to police. She is facing four charges of assault on an officer, three charges of child neglect, one charge of reckless driving, and one charge of public intoxication.

 Bystanders rescue 3 children from submerged car

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Bystanders rescue 3 children from submerged car; mother charged

Sammi Bilitz

Online court records reveal Goodwin has a prior DUI conviction from 2018. They also show she failed to comply with a court-ordered DUI course in 2019.

Goodwin is currently being held without bond.

Documents show she has been employed at a Hampton childcare center since January. News 3 reached out for comment, but they declined.