Emotional testimony in Fresno child endangerment trial

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A Fresno mother broke down in court Tuesday as one emotional witness described a train collision nearly five years ago.

Joy Frances Collins is on trial for child endangerment charges after prosecutors said she urged her two children to cross underneath an idle train in 2018.

Collins' 9-year-old son got through, but as her 8-year-old daughter crawled underneath, the train started to move.

"I see the kid gasp for air," witness Brenda Guerrero said.

"I feel like it's irresponsible for the mother or any type of parent that has children to be close to the train or letting their kids be in front of them," Guerrero added later.

Guerrero was in her car when the train ran over the girl, and she described the train as a long cargo train with two engines.

It dragged little Joyanna Harris a hundred yards, and Harris later died from her injuries.

A 12-year-old bystander said he saw what happened. Action News cannot show the young witness' face or report his name, but he took the stand on Tuesday to tell the jury how the girl called for help.

"I heard her," he said. "That's when the train started going, and that's when she started going 'ma,' 'ma.' And a few minutes later, she just stopped."

The bystander also told the jury how the girl was reluctant to cross underneath, but her mother pressed her back.

It all happened in Central Fresno at the crossing on North Diana Street and Belmont Avenue when authorities say Collins was rushing to catch a bus with her two children.

According to police, Collins said it was not the first time she told her kids to crawl underneath a train. She did so at least seven other times.

Prosecutors charged Collins with two counts of child abuse and endangerment. If convicted of those two felonies, Collins could face up to 11 years in prison.

For news updates, follow Gabe Ferris on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.