A young mother has been ordered to pay $6,500 in fines after she was caught driving without a license or insurance while her baby was in the car.
Natacki Goodwin-Roberts, 29, was stopped by police on Sir Sydney Walling Highway on January 20th and subsequently appeared before Chief Magistrate Ngaio Emanuel yesterday, where she entered guilty pleas to both offenses.
The court imposed a $4,000 fine for driving without a license and an additional $2,500 for operating an uninsured vehicle. Goodwin-Roberts has been given six months to pay the full amount or face a combined 13 months in prison—nine months for the license violation and four months for the insurance offense.
Chief Magistrate Emanuel noted several factors that worked in Goodwin-Roberts’ favor during sentencing. The defendant, who represented herself in court, had no prior criminal record, displayed genuine remorse, and cooperated fully with police. Her guilty pleas resulted in a one-third discount on both fines.
However, the magistrate expressed serious concern about two aggravating circumstances: the presence of an 8-month-old infant in the vehicle and the fact that Goodwin-Roberts was observed overtaking another car while driving illegally.
$6,500 is steep, but driving with no license, no insurance, AND overtaking with a baby in the car? That’s not a small mistake, that’s reckless behavior.
I so agree with you. Endangering a minor your own child! I wonder what circumstance(s) caused her to be taking such a risk ?
Being remorseful after getting caught is easy. The real responsibility is making better choices before something happens.
But the girl dont have a good head
It’s funny how charges are being made for reckless driving with a infant in the car, I’d bet money the infant wasn’t in a car seat because (laws) aren’t put in force to protect the lives of these babies.
They should fine the owner of the vehicle half off the fine, when someone ask to use your car make sure they have a license 🙄 and you meck sure you insurance your car so when they drive like a non license driver and hit ppl car 🚗 and injure them they are covered, please reconsider and go after the owner even they sold it to her without a license even more
It’s funny how charges are being made for reckless driving with a infant in the car, I’d bet money the infant wasn’t in a car seat because (laws) aren’t put in force to protect the lives of these babies.
What happens if she caused an accident? Who pays? Who suffers? The baby. Always the innocent one.
Talk about recklessness
She should be given 10 years. WHat if she had an accident
This is reckless and inexcusable. A baby’s life is not a gamble. If you can’t follow basic laws, you shouldn’t be driving especially with a child in the car.
Driving without license is one thing, but driving with the infant as well is another, atleast if you doing the wrong thing leave the kid at home
This is exactly why we need stricter enforcement. Too many people driving illegally like the road laws don’t apply to them
What happens if she caused an accident? Who pays? Who suffers? The baby. Always the innocent one