On January 13, 2022, in Suffolk County, New York, a 34-year-old mother, allegedly impaired on prescription medication and driving as an unlicensed operator, backed out of her driveway with her 4-year-old daughter in the car. The child was seated in a booster seat that did not meet her height requirement. The mother failed to yield and the vehicle was struck by a passing car, ejecting the child from the vehicle. The child sustained severe traumatic brain injury, spinal injury, two neck fractures, brain swelling, bruising, and scratches. She was airlifted to the hospital and placed on life support. On January 16, 2022, life support was withdrawn and the child was pronounced deceased at 5:03 PM. The mother was arrested and charged with Aggravated DWI with a Child Passenger, Endangering the Welfare of a Child, Operating a Motor Vehicle Impaired by Drugs, Improper Restraint, and Unlicensed Operator.
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)?
The fatality report describes the mother operating a vehicle while allegedly impaired on prescription medication, and the child was placed in a booster seat that did not meet the child's height requirement: "the investigation revealed the mother placed the SC in a booster seat and fastened the car's seatbelt over the SC but the SC did not meet the height requirement for the booster seat." The allegations of Inadequate Guardianship were substantiated. The mother's impaired state and failure to properly restrain the child constitute inappropriate supervision.
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?
The entire fatality report centers on a motor vehicle crash. The fatality report states: "the mother operated a motor vehicle with the 4-year-old female subject child in the car. The child was not restrained in the car. The mother backed out of the driveway, failed to yield and the car was struck by another vehicle. The child was ejected from the car and sustained bruising and scratches to her lower abdomen and the left side of her head, brain swelling, a neck fracture."
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?
The fatality report identifies the mother as the "Alleged Perpetrator" in the household composition table. She was the driver of the vehicle, was allegedly impaired on prescription medication, and improperly restrained the child. All substantiated allegations name the mother as the perpetrator.
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?
The fatality report states: "The mother was arrested and charged with Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated with a Child-Passenger Less Than 16, Endangering the Welfare of a Child: Act in manner to injure child under 17, Operating a Motor Vehicle Impaired by Drugs and Unlicensed Operator." These charges arose directly from the incident that caused the child's death.
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?
The fatality report states in the legal activity section: "The mother was ordered to continue to engage in substance misuse and mental health counseling services." The use of "continue" implies the mother was already receiving mental health counseling prior to the court order, referencing the mother's mental health status.
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
The fatality report states: "The mother previously misused drugs and was in a drug treatment program." Additionally, the allegations of "Parents Drug / Alcohol Misuse" were substantiated against the mother for both the deceased child and the sibling. The report also notes the mother "was an active participant in drug treatment and support groups" and "consistently passed drug screenings."
Notable Details
The fatality report contains several notable details: (1) The mother was an unlicensed operator at the time of the crash. (2) There is a significant discrepancy between the toxicology results and the Drug Recognition Evaluation — the toxicology report showed the mother was "only positive for the medications she was prescribed" and "medication levels were in normal range," while the Drug Recognition Evaluation concluded "the SM was under the influence of a combination of stimulants and was unable to operate a vehicle safely." (3) The mother was released with an ankle monitor that measured alcohol intake "despite having no alcohol detected in her system." (4) The report notes that "Suffolk County does not have an OCFS approved Child Fatality Review Team." These details highlight tensions between the evidence of impairment and the toxicology findings, which may have implications for the pending criminal case.
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