Mother Recalls Horror as Driver Crashes into Pram, Leaving Baby Covered in Blood
A mother has recounted the horrifying moment a driver crashed into her baby's pram, describing how she scrambled to find her daughter who was "mangled under the car" and bleeding heavily. Florence Chibi, 41, was driving home from work when she suddenly accelerated and mounted the pavement in Bootle, striking the pushchair with devastating force.
The Terrifying Incident Unfolds
Shocked witnesses observed Chibi losing control of her red Vauxhall Astra as she sped around a corner near a junction at approximately 6pm on December 5, 2024. The vehicle crashed directly into the pram, leaving the one-year-old baby face-down on the ground. In a victim impact statement presented at Liverpool Crown Court on February 5, the mother shared the traumatic details of the event.
"On the way home, I decided to take a longer route to show my baby the Christmas lights, as she loves them," the mother stated. "As we reached the top of the street, I could hear a car revving repeatedly. I assumed it was just some kids showing off. Suddenly I felt a hard impact in my left hand. I looked down and saw the pram was mangled under the car, and my baby was gone."
She described panicking as she searched under the vehicle, initially unable to locate her daughter. "Then underneath a shopping bag and pieces of the pram I found her. Her face and mouth were bleeding heavily. From that point on I don't remember anything. I must have gone into black-out mode. The next thing I remember is waking up in hospital the next day with my baby next to me."
Severe Injuries and Emotional Trauma
The baby was rushed to Alder Hey Children's Hospital, where she underwent facial surgery and received treatment for a broken leg. The mother addressed Chibi directly in her statement, expressing the profound impact of the incident on her family.
"You have wrecked my confidence in myself as I felt I couldn't protect my daughter. My husband felt powerless. My poor daughter almost lost her life and she will have scarring which will always be a reminder," she said. "The process of healing has been very hard emotionally and she has been crying all the time. Having her leg in a cast took away her independence. Seeing her in the cast made me so angry and feel so guilty that she had been injured."
The mother detailed how the trauma has affected her daily life, stating she no longer trusts cars, becomes panicky at loud noises from vehicles, and struggles to sleep due to hearing traffic on the street. "I wouldn't wish what happened to my family to happen to anybody. I hope now I can have some closure and mend what has been broken," she added.
Investigation Reveals Driver Error
Chibi claimed that something was wrong with her steering wheel, alleging "she was trying to turn right but her steering wouldn't allow her." However, a vehicle examiner confirmed there was no defect in the car that could have caused the crash. Instead, investigators determined that Chibi had pressed the wrong pedal, hitting the accelerator instead of the brake as she approached the junction.
Chibi, of Orrell Park, tested negative for both alcohol and drugs and successfully passed an impairment test at the police station. She pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving and has no previous convictions.
Defence and Sentencing
Simeon Evans, defending, stated: "Through me she wishes to express, not only to the court but to those who have suffered, remorse. Your Honour will have noted how affected she was by having caused harm to a child as she did. That's something that continues to affect her to this day. Genuine shock, genuine remorse, and perhaps all the more so because her job was caring for vulnerable children. She was a social worker and had in fact come from such a child when this accident happened. For someone like her to have caused harm to a child is extremely shocking to her and she understands how appalling it must have been for the baby's parents. She herself has three children, one of whom is four years of age."
Judge Charlotte Crangle remarked: "On that day you were approaching that junction and clearly were struggling to negotiate that junction, and in your momentary panic you pressed the wrong pedal, the accelerator rather than the brake, which caused your car to strike the victim and a road sign. I accept this wasn't deliberately bad driving. However none of this makes it any easier for the victim's parents to deal with and for them to overcome the psychological damage that was caused."
The judge sentenced Chibi to an 18-month community order, 10 rehabilitation days, and 150 hours of unpaid work. She also banned her from driving for 12 months, after which she must pass an extended re-test.
