A Fort Worth mother is behind bars after her infant was ejected from her car in a weekend crash and later died from the injuries, according to police.
The wreck happened last Saturday at the intersection of Rock Island Street and Azle Avenue. Investigators say the baby was not in a car seat or otherwise restrained when the vehicle collided with another car. The child was rushed to a hospital with serious injuries and later died, while the driver, identified by police as the infant’s mother, was treated for non-life-threatening injuries, arrested, and taken to jail.
According to FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth, Fort Worth police believe the mother drove through a stop sign and struck another vehicle, causing the unrestrained infant to be thrown from the car. The outlet reports the baby was pronounced dead at the hospital. Police have not publicly released the mother’s name or specified what charges, if any, she faces in connection with the crash.
Potential Criminal Exposure Under Texas Law
Under Texas law, conduct that puts a child younger than 15 in imminent danger can result in criminal charges. Texas Penal Code Section 22.041 makes it a crime to “abandon” or “endanger” a child and notes that such conduct can be prosecuted as a state jail felony, with harsher penalties possible in more serious cases, according to the Texas Penal Code.
Why Car Seats Matter
Motor vehicle crashes remain one of the leading causes of death for children in the United States, and a troubling share of those deaths involve kids who were not buckled in at all. Federal health officials say that in 2022, 599 child passengers ages 12 and under were killed in crashes. Among children with known restraint status, 35% were not restrained. Public health and safety agencies consistently stress that properly installed car seats and booster seats dramatically cut the risk of severe injury or death, according to the CDC.
Investigation and How to Help
Fort Worth police told FOX 4 that the crash remains under investigation and that more details will be released as they become available. The department’s Traffic Division handles serious crash investigations, reviewing scene evidence, vehicle damage, and official crash reports…