Father accidentally runs over little girl in driveway of home
By Nick Hiltunen
Published in News on July 22, 2010 1:46 PM
MOUNT OLIVE -- An infant suffered severe head trauma after being run over by a rear tire of her father's SUV in the yard of their Camp Jubilee Road home Wednesday morning, authorities said.
Jaliyah Garner, who is about 16 months old, is in critical condition after being taken by medical helicopter to Pitt Memorial Hospital after the accident, a Highway Patrol spokesman said.
First Sgt. Jerry Burton said that Demarco Garner, 27, was moving his Cadillac Escalade forward in the driveway of his house in the 800 block of Camp Jubilee Road.
"The car was backed up to the house, and he was pulling it forward so they (family members) could get into the vehicle," Burton said. "(Jaliyah) ... ran off the porch in front of the SUV."
Family members, including Jaliyah and other siblings, had been on the porch waiting for their father to pull the car forward.
After interviews with the family, state troopers believe the 16-month-old ran around the right side of the vehicle, and apparently got under the wheels.
After moving only about four or five feet in the SUV, one of the other children shouted to Garner that "Jaliyah was under the car."
Garner immediately stopped the vehicle and the family called 911. The girl's mother was at home during the accident, and had just stepped inside the home before it took place, the first sergeant said.
The child was taken by ambulance to Wayne Memorial Hospital. Because of the severity of the head trauma, she was then taken by medical air transport to Pitt Memorial Hospital.
Burton said that Jaliyah's injuries were last listed as critical. A Pitt Memorial Hospital spokesperson did not immediately return a call this morning inquiring about her present condition.
Burton said he did not expect any charges to be filed, and said that troopers did not believe there was any indication of neglect on the part of the driver.
"Through talking with the parents, and listening to the story, and asking them the same questions different ways, we still get the same answers," Burton said.