Royce Reed has managed to avoid a potential prison sentence in a child neglect case that involved her young son, whom she shares with NBA player Dwight Howard.
The charges, initially a third-degree felony carrying a possible five-year prison term, arose from an incident where her then-14-year-old son, Braylon Howard, engaged in sexually inappropriate behavior with another child.
According to RadarOnline.com, Braylon was instructed not to hang out with children 2 years younger than him due to a previous incident. After the teen violated the rules, Reed was blamed and accused of neglect.
Despite pleading not guilty, Reed faced a challenging legal battle that spanned 17 months in Orange County Criminal Court. Recently, she reached an agreement to participate in a program aimed at absolving her of any culpability. Instead of facing jail time, she will undergo community service and educational classes focused on responsible parenting.
“This is to notify you that this defendant has been approved for participation in the Pre-Trial Diversion Program and that this case is being continued pending contract signing and successful completion of Pre-Trial Diversion,” stated a letter obtained by Radaronline.
In the event of successful completion of the rehabilitation program, the case against Royce will be dismissed or marked as “nolle prosequi.” However, failure to meet the program’s objectives would prompt a re-evaluation, with the court prepared to take appropriate action.
The specifics of the program, including its duration, remain undisclosed. Royce is slated to appear before the judge on December 6, and the Orange County Pre-Trial Diversion program, overseen by the Department of Corrections, involves 100 hours of community service and specialized classes related to the nature of the crime, as outlined on the county website.
