ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — A little boy has died after his mom crashed their car into a snow plow near St. Joseph on Monday morning. The Missouri Highway Patrol says 20-month-old Kaiber Williams was not in a child car seat when his mom lost control on Route C just south of Highway 36, about four miles east of St. Joseph.
Alicca Williams, 24, told troopers she hit an icy curve and slammed head-on into a snow plow truck. Both drivers had minor injuries but Kaiber Williams died after being life-flighted to Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City.
Missouri law requires children up to age four to be in a child car seat and recommends they always be placed in the back seat. Missouri Highway Patrol troopers told FOX 4 that Kaiber was sitting in the front passenger seat.
The victim’s grandfather, Junior Williams, told FOX 4 that Alicca Williams is devastated.
“I mean she’s hurting bad. She knows what she did wrong and she’s blaming herself,” he said.
Williams said his daughter-in-law was headed to her mother’s house just a few miles away and didn’t think to put her son in his car seat.
“Strap your child in, no matter what,” said Williams, “I was always told that wrecks happen close to home and she’s learned her lesson.”
The Missouri Highway Patrol cited Alicca Williams for improper restraint, failure to drive on the right side of the road, and driving on a suspended license. It’ll be up to Buchanan County Prosecuting Attorney Dwight Scroggins to decide if Alicca Williams should faces charges of Child Endangerment or Involuntary Manslaughter.
“We’ve prosecuted not just parents but we’ve prosecuted a lot of people who caused injuries through their negligent acts,” said Scroggins.
The long-time prosecutor admitted there may be no punishment that will hurt the mom as much as she’s already hurting but added, “You don’t get a pass because you care about the person you injured through your negligence.”
It may be weeks before Scroggins decides if charges are warranted, but the victim’s grandfather is adamant that criminal charges would serve no purpose.
“She’s already suffering. Every time she closes her eyes, she sees what happened again,” said Junior Williams.
email: rob.low@wdaftv4.com
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