A 14-year-old girl has been charged after a crash in Virginia in which she is accused of driving under the influence, a collision that ultimately led to the death of her one-year-old child.
Authorities say the teen was behind the wheel of a silver sedan traveling east on Interstate 64 at about 2am on March 23 when the vehicle left the roadway to the right and hit a guardrail.
Police allege that after the initial impact, the car moved back across traffic lanes and struck a barrier on the opposite side of the interstate, leaving the 14-year-old with serious injuries.
The one-year-old child, who police say was unrestrained in the vehicle, was critically hurt. The Virginia Pilot reported that the child died in the hospital on March 26, just weeks before his second birthday on April 4.
The driver, described as being from Hampton, Virginia, was also reportedly not wearing a seatbelt, according to WAVY, and was taken to the hospital with severe injuries.
Police said she is facing multiple charges, including driving under the influence, driving without a license, and a child restraint violation. Officials added that additional charges are still being evaluated.
In the aftermath, relatives spoke with local media as they mourned the child’s death. The baby’s grandmother told WTKR News 3: “I’ve been in his life since day one.
“This is the hardest.”
She also noted that the child’s father is 17 years old, meaning the mother would have been 12 at the time the child was conceived.
She told the outlet she could not bring herself to hate the teen identified as the driver.
She said: “The Lord, my spirit, won’t let me. My spirit won’t let me.”
Family members also shared that the boy’s name was Ma’Khai, along with private videos of him at a gathering just days before the crash. Investigators have not publicly clarified where the teen got the car or what substance she was allegedly under the influence of at the time.
Another relative urged other young people to think carefully about their actions.
“Be more responsible,” the baby’s godfather told WKTR. “Stop trying to outgrow your age and just be your age. There’s nothing wrong with being a teenager.
“Stop thinking that you’re grown.”
The crash remains under investigation.