After a nearly four-month investigation, Leslie Hooper, the mother of 4-year-old Hunter Greer killed in a motor vehicle accident on April 27, was arrested and charged in the case, according to Sheriff Kenny Christopher.
Christopher stated Hooper, 42, was the subject of an investigation into the events leading up to the child’s death. On Friday, she was arrested and charged with 11 felony counts and one misdemeanor. In the joint investigation with the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Hooper is charged with three counts of felony reckless endangerment, two counts of felony child abuse and neglect, three felony counts of aggravated child abuse, one count of felony homicide, criminally negligent, one count of felony homicide, reckless homicide, one felony of assessory after the fact, and one misdemeanor charge of child endangerment.
The sheriff said he cannot comment on the full investigation, but that he appreciated the hard work of the THP investigators and looked forward to justice for the little child. “When are these parents going to learn to put their children’s well-being above their own selfish needs and desires?” Christopher asked. “These helpless kids need a safe home environment and we are going to do all we can to make sure that happens for all of our local children. This was a senseless, despicable case where a mother and father were reckless with their children and lost one of them forever because of their behavior and choices.”
In the accident that robbed the young boy of his life, his own father, James Greer, 52, was behind the wheel and was arrested on the scene and charged with aggravated vehicular homicide and driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
In a pre-trial hearing in July, Greer’s case was found to have sufficient evidence enough for a grand jury. The trial is slated for October. The exact date has not been determined.
Hooper remains behind bars in the Benton County Jail.
