Woman Admits To Hitting Children With SUV Because They Looked 'Middle Eastern', 'Mexican'

An Iowa woman admitted that she attempted to kill two children because of their race and national origin, federal authorities said Thursday.

Nicole Poole Franklin, 42, pleaded guilty Wednesday to two hate crime charges before a federal court. In two separate incidents in the afternoon of Dec. 9, 2019, she struck two children with her SUV, a statement from the Department of Justice said.

She also pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted murder for the same attacks, the Des Moines Register reported.

Poole Franklin said she believed the kids were of foreign descent.

"Nicole Poole Franklin attempted to kill two children because she thought they came from another country," Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Pamela Karlan of the DOJ's Civil Rights Division said in the statement.

According to the DOJ, Poole Franklin was driving on Creston Avenue in Des Moines when she spotted the first child walking alongside the sidewalk with another young relative. She then proceeded to drive her Jeep Grand Cherokee over the curb toward both kids after "believing that the victim was of Middle Eastern or African descent." She struck one of the children with her SUV and drove away, the DOJ said. The victim reportedly suffered injuries including cuts, bruising and swelling.

Poole Franklin spotted the second victim 30 minutes later while driving near Indian Hills Junior High School in Clive, and while "believing that the child was Mexican, drove her vehicle over the curb and struck the victim, causing injury, including a concussion, bruises, and cuts," according to the DOJ. She once again drove away after the incident but was apprehended by authorities later that day.

The first victim was reportedly a 12-year-old Black boy and the second was a 14-year-old Latino girl, the Register said.

Poole Franklin's federal sentencing date is scheduled for Aug. 19. She faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for each of the hate crime offenses.

"All people in the United States, regardless where they come from, have the right to be free from fear of violence because of who they are," Karlan said.

Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel of the FBI Omaha Field Office said in the DOJ statement, "It’s unimaginable that violence based on race, sexual identity or religious beliefs still exists in this day and age. The FBI will not tolerate someone committing such abhorrent violence against two children, just because of the color of their skin. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to ensure that if a crime is motivated by bias, it will be investigated, and the perpetrators held responsible for their actions. We encourage everyone to report such crimes to the FBI."