Father forgives son's hit-and-run killer

A father in the US has forgiven the woman who killed his son in a hit-and-run car crash in an emotional courtroom exchange.

Bill Walker's powerful comments left the gallery at 23-year-old Lauren Balint's sentencing speechless, as he told her he had accepted his loss and wished her well.

"It almost brought me to tears," Hamilton County Judge Melba Marsh said of the Bellefontaine, Ohio case.

Balint held her face and wept as Mr Walker told her, "You are totally forgiven."

"I hope you get married and have a good, long life," he said.

"From the bottom of my heart, I forgive you.

"I wish [my son] Chris hadn't been out there that night because it affected your life as well."

Balint had not been charged with 21-year-old Christopher Walker's February 24, 2012 death after toxicology reports showed that he was intoxicated when struck.

She was however charged with failing to stop after the incident and faced three years in jail.

Judge Marsh admitted he had been unsure on what sentence he would deliver until Mr Walker took the stand.

At the close of proceedings, he placed Balint on probation for two years and suspended her driver's licence for one year – a lenient punishment supported by Mr Walker.

"It was a very bad decision. It was very overwhelming," Balint said in court last week.

"I should have stopped. I think about it all the time."

Source: Cincinnati.com
Author: Chloe Ross, Approving editor: Martin Zavan