VIDEO: Mother runs over tot boy while playing game of ‘Chicken.’ She’s now facing homicide charges

A Texas mother who hit and killed her young son earlier this month during a game of chicken is being accused of negligent homicide, ABC 13 reports.

Houston authorities originally described the case as an “unfortunate accident.”

But the Harris County District Attorney’s office criminally charged Lexus Stagg, 26, this week, after investigators determined she could have prevented the death.

How do you protect your children from predators? Join Nancy Grace and a team of world-class experts for the online course ‘Justice Nation: Crime Stops Here’.

Surveillance video shows that while Stagg was playing the game chicken with her kids in the parking lot of her Houston apartment complex, she put her vehicle in reverse, drove 100 feet and drove toward her children as they were running toward her.

Two older children got out of the way, but the youngest child, who was 3 years old, could not, and was run over by two tires, prosecutor Sean Teare said.

Neighbor Walter Turcios witnessed the incident, which he said was sad but not surprising.

“I felt bad, because those parents, they were never there. They were kind of negligent,” Turcios said. “(The kids were) always out here without supervision.”

In 2013, two of Stagg’s children were removed from her care and placed with a relative. She proceeded to have three additional children. One of them was the child who died, while the other two have also been placed with a relative.

Police arrested Stagg Thursday and she appeared in court Friday. Her bail was set at $1,500, which she posted Friday afternoon. Prosecutors had sought $50,000 in bail.

Stagg faces up to a decade in prison if convicted.

Prosecutors say Stagg was being reckless with her kids.

“Every parent has an obligation to protect their children, even from themselves,” District Attorney Kim Ogg said. “Cars aren’t toys and playing chicken with your kids isn’t a game.”

Crime Stories with Nancy Grace” podcast investigates the latest true crime and justice news. Here is a related episode:

Join Nancy Grace for her new online video series designed to help you protect what you love most – your children.

[Feature Photo: Lexus Stagg/Police Handout]