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Mother charged with vehicular manslaughter, DUI after 3-month-old son dies in fiery crash
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Mother charged with vehicular manslaughter, DUI after 3-month-old son dies in fiery crash

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE/Gray News ) – A child critically injured in an early morning crash in a Louisville neighborhood has died and the mother is facing multiple charges in connection with his death.

According to the Louisville Metro Police Department, officers were called to a collision at Newburg Road and East Indian Trail just before 5:40 a.m. Thursday.

Authorities said a Dodge Dart caught fire after rear-ending a Ford Escape.

Arriving officers reported finding a woman outside the Dodge holding a child while the vehicle was on fire.

Police said the woman, later identified as 18-year-old Lyillie Pena, had minor injuries, but the child, a 3-month-old, was seriously injured.

First responders rushed the child to Norton Children’s Hospital, but he died around 8:45 a.m.

The man driving the Ford told officers he was running a red light when he saw a car “whirling toward him.” The collision ended up sending his SUV into the grass center median.

The driver told police that Pena was aggressive when the two spoke after the crash. He also said she was bright-eyed, with breath that smelled of alcohol, while she appeared to be unsteady on her feet.

According to police, Pena told officers he drank 99-proof alcohol around 10:00pm the night before and took Adderall.

Pena was arrested and faces charges including vehicular homicide, aggravated DUI and criminal mischief. She was booked into Louisville Metro Corrections.

During the booking process, officers obtained search warrants to draw blood from Pena. The arrest report said a blood alcohol test showed a reading of 0.039.

Pena is due to be arraigned on Friday.

The child’s name has not been released at this time by the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office.