A former Teacher of the Year pleads guilty to manslaughter for crash that killed her 6-year-old son. She had been using both alcohol and marijuana.
April 12, 2008 - Rebecca Whitehurst, a teacher at Meherrin Elementary School, pleaded guilty Thursday to involuntary vehicular manslaughter. Prosecutors agreed not to pursue charges of child neglect, failure to secure a minor in a vehicle and failure to wear a seat.
She had been found guilty of the DUI and restraint charges but was appealing both verdicts. A state toxicologist testified in November that test results indicated Whitehurst had been using both alcohol and marijuana sometime prior to the wreck.
She had been named Teacher of the Year for the 2005-2006 school year. Her son was a first-grade student at the school. She will be sentenced July 3.
Full Name: Rebecca Duncan Whitehurst
SENTENCED July 25 - Whitehurst was sentenced to seven years in jail - not prison -, with five suspended, in connection with the death of her 6-year-old son.
Her case prompted a re-evaluation by the Southampton County Board of Supervisors of its drug and alcohol policies. In February, supervisors agreed unanimously to adopt more stringent rules regarding drug testing and vehicle use.The judge also sentenced her to 12 months in jail on the DUI charge but suspended that sentence as well.
At least two supervisors publicly chided the School Board for not following suit, suggesting that supervisors should "set an example" for the School Board by beefing up the county's policy. Currently the only School Board employees subject to random drug testing are those who hold commercial driver's licenses, such as bus drivers.
