On October 22, 2022, at approximately 5:51 p.m., Brittany Pope was driving on Susie Sand Hill Road near Bull Street in Elizabethtown, Bladen County, North Carolina, when she swerved off the road to the left and hit a tree. An 8-month-old male infant was in the back seat in a car seat that was not properly secured. The child was airlifted to UNC Chapel Hill and died approximately three days later on Tuesday morning from his injuries. A male passenger was also injured. Investigators determined that while alcohol was not in Pope's system, she was under the influence of an unspecified medication. Pope was initially charged with DWI and was subsequently indicted by a grand jury on felony death by motor vehicle and felony child abuse charges.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Both documents describe the child's death resulting from a motor vehicle crash. Document 1 (WECT) states: "An 8-month-old baby died in a car wreck last month after the driver, Brittany Pope, hit a tree." Document 2 (WWAY) states: "Troopers say Brittany Pope, the driver of the vehicle, swerved off the road to the left and hit a tree."
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
Both documents confirm that Brittany Pope was charged. Document 1 (WECT) states: "She was initially charged with DWI, but District Attorney Jon David said a grand jury has now added felony death by motor vehicle and felony child abuse charges." Document 2 (WWAY) states: "Pope was charged with DWI, but has not been arrested because she still needs surgery following the crash."
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Document 2 (WWAY) states: "While there was not alcohol in Pope's system, investigators found that she was under the influence of an unspecified medication." Pope was also charged with DWI per both documents, confirming substance use by the driver/caregiver.
Notable Details
Document 1 (WECT) quotes emergency services director Nathan Dowless discussing a systemic car seat safety issue: "He said about 50% of car seats aren't installed correctly, even though the driver might think so." Additionally, he noted "71% of accidents [where] a child passes away can be prevented by car restraints." The article explicitly connects this child's death to the broader systemic problem of improperly installed car seats and the availability of free safety checks at fire and health departments in Bladen County. Document 2 (WWAY) also notes that Pope had not been arrested at the time of reporting because "she still needs surgery following the crash," representing a notable delay in the legal process.
These fields were populated by an AI model and may contain inaccuracies. Review the links and PDFs provided for verification before citing. Contact [email protected] to report any inaccuracies where corrections are needed.