A family and her Central Florida community are mourning the death of a 5-month-old girl, the victim of a car crash.
She died two days after the multi-car accident in northern Hillsborough County. Her death was announced by the fire chief in Pasco County, where her 23-year-old father is a firefighter.
“She was surrounded by her loving family and supported by the thousands that have to come to know her over the past few days,” the chief said.
The girl was strapped into her car seat in the family SUV as her family was traveling one recent afternoon around 2 p.m. A vehicle ran a stop sign, collided with another car and eventually, the family’s van was hit in the four-car accident.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office is continuing the investigation. New video taken at the crash site showed the family’s SUV on its side, and the Pasco County fire chief called the incident a “very violent, high-speed T-bone style crash.”
The girl’s parents were hospitalized. Her father was released from the hospital three days after the crash. He was treated for head injuries. Her mother suffered spinal cord and pelvic fractures and remained in the hospital, undergoing physical therapy.
Services for the baby will be held once her mother improves physically and can attend.
In a sign of solidarity with the family, Pasco County firefighters have volunteered to work the father’s shifts through Thanksgiving Day. Still, the family will need continued support – emotionally, physically and financially. An attorney with experience in car accident cases would be able to advise the family about their options.
