Child Seriously Hurt in Preventable Driveway Crash
A family holiday decorating session in Texas turned into a nightmare after a nine-year-old girl was seriously injured in a car crash. The incident occurred on Sunday when a family friend, Ledeja Pickett, 25, told the child to move a car.
Mother's Protests Ignored
According to reports, the girl, her mother, and Pickett were decorating the family home for the holidays. Despite the mother's clear and repeated protests that her daughter did not know how to drive, Pickett allegedly insisted the child get behind the wheel. "Multiple times I told Ledeja no, that my daughter didn't know how to drive, that she didn't know what she was doing," the mother, who wished to remain anonymous, told KSAT. "And she proceeded to say: 'Well, she was gonna learn'."
Pickett then put the vehicle into reverse. In a tragic error, the young girl pressed the accelerator instead of the brake pedal. This sent the car flying out of the driveway. The vehicle hit a curb, spun out twice, hit the curb again, and then collided with a neighbour's truck.
Severe Injuries and Multiple Surgeries
The girl was ejected from the car before it struck the truck, sustaining serious physical trauma. Her mother described lacerations across her body, including a deep cut on the back of her leg so severe that the bone was visible.
The child was rushed to University Health hospital for emergency treatment. Her mother revealed that the girl has already undergone three surgeries since the incident on Sunday. She is currently in a wheelchair, and while her family hopes for a full recovery, she is estimated to need about three months to heal.
Ledeja Pickett was arrested and now faces charges of injury to a child and child endangerment. Her bail was set at $25,000.
"She had no right to hand a minor keys," the grieving mother stated. "She had no right to put that car in reverse... She mentally, physically, and emotionally damaged my daughter."
