Officials with the Charlotte Fire Department said the crash happened Wednesday north of uptown Charlotte, in the 1500 block of North Graham Street.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said the driver of a 2005 Toyota Corolla, 33-year-old Dora Del Carmen Sosa, was traveling northbound on North Graham Street near Plymouth Avenue behind a large truck, possibly a dump truck or trash truck. Her 14-month-old niece was in the car.
According to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, Sosa changed lanes to pass the truck but was stopped when she saw a pickup truck stopped and waiting to turn left. Police said she swerved around the pickup into oncoming lanes, striking a southbound Toyota Camry driven by 43-year-old David Collins Jr.
Medics took the drivers and child to Carolinas Medical Center for treatment. The drivers sustained serious injuries, while the child had life-threatening injuries.
The child later died.
According to investigators, the young girl was in an infant carrier, but it was not being used correctly and she was not properly restrained.
Detectives said they believed the misuse of the child passenger seat was a contributing factor in the death. Speed and alcohol were not considered contributing factors.
On Tuesday, Del Carmen Sosa was released from CMC and taken to the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office, where she was served with warrants for involuntary manslaughter, felony child abuse and no operator’s license.
CMPD officials said Tuesday that the investigation remains active and ongoing.
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