Minnesota – A Minnesota woman was taken into custody and now faces criminal charges in connection with a cr ash that kiIIed her one-year-old chiId. The 28-year-old mom, R. PeIoquin, has been charged with one count of criminaI vehicuIar homicide — negIigence — while under the infIuence of aIcohoI, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
According to the Minnesota authorities, the fatal acident took place Saturday evening in Minnesota. Responding officers and first responders arrived on scene to find the woman’s vehicIe overturned and partially submerged in water about 30 feet off the road. The baby was found trapped beneath the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene.
In their investigation, Minnesota troopers and investigators collected physical evidence and interviewed witnesses. A preliminary breath test conducted soon after the crash indicated a blood alcohol concentration of about 0.172, more than double the legal limit. Investigators also found empty bottles of whiskey shooters along the path of the vehicle.
Emergency personnel on the scene indicated they were alerted by frantic bystanders who reported that a child was still under the vehicle. Fire crews used hydraulic tools to lift parts of the vehicle in an effort to free the trapped toddler. The child, later identified as Ravon, was declared dead by emergency medical services. Two other young children in the vehicle, aged 5 and 6, were transported to a hospital with noncritical injuries.
During initial questioning at the scene, she was heard repeatedly crying out “Save my baby,” according to the complaint.When state troopers asked who had been driving, she admitted, “Me, and I lost control,” saying she could not explain why the vehicle spun out. She claimed she lost control of the wheel, that the road was slippery from rain, and that she believed her tires were worn. At one point, she attempted to shift blame, telling officers, “The guy I was with was driving,” although court documents state she had earlier admitted being in control.
A state trooper asked the grieving mother what had happened, and she responded that she was taking her children to visit their grandmother so she could have some free time for herself. She told the troopers that she was a single mother and did not get any breaks. When describing the crash, she explained that as she made the turn she somehow lost control of the vehicle, blaming wet road conditions and worn tires.
Investigators also interviewed her surviving children. They confirmed she had been driving. The accounts among the children were mixed regarding whether all occupants were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash. A passenger in the vehicle told officers he had been seated in the front passenger seat and had attempted to help free the children after the crash.
The Minnesota State Patrol continues to investigate the crash, and the woman remains in custody, held on bail set at $250,000. The criminal vehicular homicide charge is a felony that carries up to 10 years in prison and a possible fine of $20,000 in Minnesota.
As the case moves forward, court filings and additional evidence, including toxicology results, witness statements, and vehicle forensics, are expected to clarify further details of how the crash unfolded and how responsibility will be assigned.