Mother charged with vehicular homicide and DUI after 3-month-old son died in fiery crash

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE/Gray News) – An infant who was seriously injured in an early morning crash in a Louisville neighborhood has died and his mother faces 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 holding a child in front of the Dodge while the vehicle was on fire.

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

Emergency services 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 going through a red light when he saw a car “speeding towards him.” The collision ended with his SUV being sent into the center strip of grass.

The male driver told police Pena was aggressive when they spoke after the crash. He also said her eyes were shiny and her breath smelled of alcohol, and she seemed unsteady on her feet.

According to police, Pena told officers that the previous evening around 10 p.m., she drank 99 percent alcohol and took Adderall.

Pena was arrested and faces charges including vehicular manslaughter, DUI and criminal mischief. She was assigned to subway corrections in Louisville.

While making the reservation, police obtained a search warrant to take blood from Pena. The arrest report stated that his blood alcohol content was tested at 0.039.

Pena is scheduled to be arraigned on Friday.

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