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State Shelters Infants After Parents Involved In Car Crash In Miami

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MIAMI(CBSMiami)---A Miami-Dade Circuit Judge has ordered that the state shelter two infant children after their parents were reportedly involved in a police pursuit that ended with their car crashing into air pumps on Sunday afternoon at a Miami gas station.

It was a difficult scene to watch Monday afternoon inside the courtroom of Circuit Judge Cindy Lederman at the Children's Courthouse. The children, who are 1 and 2, were brought to court with no family members present. No relatives came to court to help them as their parents remain behind bars.

There was testimony in court that the paternal aunt of the children said that one of the children "cries too much and so that is not going to be a great fit." There was also testimony that the childrens' maternal grandparents live 3 hours away from Miami and are "trying to help."

Judge Lederman found probable cause for the state to shelter the children pending another hearing at 9:30 a.m. on August 7th.  She also read from some court paperwork and said, "It just says both parents have a criminal history of illegal drugs."

She said the children would have no visitation with the parents until they could come to court.

Miami Police said the father, 24-year-old Cedric Cornelius Bethel, is charged with driving with his license suspended, fleeing and eluding and grand theft. Police said he also has outstanding warrants on charges including reckless driving. The mother - 21-year-old Hailey Jay Magiera - is charged with child neglect with no great bodily harm.

Both of them appeared in bond court on Monday afternoon.

Magiera received a lecture from a judge who told her, "you are well on your way to losing your children. I mean one of those kids was on the floor of the car."

Police say the incident started at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday when an officer spotted Bethel's speeding car following two ATVS. Police say the officer saw someone in the car that had been stolen in West Palm Beach recording video of the ATVS at Northeast 8th St. And Biscayne Boulevard.

In the end, the ATVS got away and the car crashed at the gas station at 34th St. and Biscayne Boulevard.

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