(Memphis) The Tennessee Department of Children Services has confirmed the twins of a mother accused in a hit and run accident in the Cooper Young area are now in state custody.
This comes along with more fallout from that incident.
One victim, Shannon Parker, is still in the hospital, while Adrienne Spates, the woman who police say hit her and then left, is at home.
Shannon Parker has a long recovery ahead.
Police say 28-year-old Adrienne Spates ran into Parker and another woman on Cooper near Oliver, then drove off.
Parker talked to us by phone, “Honestly I think they probably thought I was dead.”
Spates told investigators she left the scene because people began yelling and frightened her.
At least one witness has said that is not true.
Police tracked down Spates’ vehicle and she later turned herself in.
She was charged with leaving the scene of an accident, not reporting an accident and not having insurance, all misdemeanors.
District Attorney Amy Weirich told us, “I know the injuries to the victim are serious, horrible. But under the law in the state of Tennessee that is the most we can charge them with.
Weirich said because no one died in the accident, it is a misdemeanor under state law.
Butt Weirich told us that could change, “If we learn some things along the way that makes us realize that our duty requires us to learn something different, to charge something in addition to what we have already done, then we do that as well,” says Weirich.
Adrienne Spates didn’t answer at her home, but the damaged SUV police say she was driving was there.
Police found Spates because a witness snapped a picture of her license plate.
Officers located the vehicle after running the tags, then left a letter advising Spates where and how to report the incident.
Spates was in the news when her conjoined twins were separated in a 13 hour surgery at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in 2011.
We also found she had previous charges including driving without a license, disorderly conduct and public intoxication.
These new misdemeanors could still mean jail time according to Weirich, “Punishable up to 11 months and 29 days.”
