BAINBRIDGE, Ga. (WTXL) — A woman is facing child cruelty charges after authorities say a 9-month-old baby, who wasn't strapped inside a car seat, was ejected from her car during a crash.
According to Georgia State Patrol, the accident occurred at the intersection of GA 1 and Bethel Road on Saturday at approximately 12:30 p.m.
GSP says 27-year-old Kearsley Smith was traveling east on Bethel Road when she failed to yield after stopping at a stop sign to enter GA 1. At the same time, another driver was traveling north on GA 1 and crashed into the passenger's side of Smith's vehicle.
The second driver's vehicle then rotated clock-wise before coming to a final stop on GA 1 facing east.
After being hit, Smith’s vehicle exited the roadway onto the east shoulder of GA 1, where the car finally came to a rest. Authorities say the impact of the crash caused a 9-month-old passenger to be throw nfrom Smith's vehicle. The infant landed underneath Smith's car.
The infant was then life-flighted to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, while Smith and the other children in the car were taken by EMS.
The Post Searchlight reports that the infant and two other children in the car, a 2-year-old and 7-year-old, were not buckled into a car seat.
All five people in the crash reported injuries, but were released from the hospital on Sunday.
Since the accident, authorities have issued Smith a warrant for her arrest, according to The Post Searchlight. She has been charged with three counts of cruelty to children in the second degree, three counts of child restraint law, one count of failure to maintain lane. Several other charges are pending.
Authorities are still investigating the cause of why Smith failed to yield at the stop sign. According to what Trooper Andrew Davidson told The Post Searchlight, the second driver told him Smith was texting and was in a hurry.
