photo credit: Africa Studio // Shutterstock

A 20-year-old mother is being charged with the murder of her 1-year-old daughter after she was killed in a car accident last October.

Brittany Stephens, 20, was charged with negligent homicide and seat belt violations, because she did not properly secure her daughter in the car seat. According to police reports, the car seat was wedged between the two front seats, the driver and passenger seat. Stephens was arrested and charged since she “was the person responsible for the buckling of the car seat.”

An off-duty officer, Christopher Manuel, was going 94 mph in a 50 mph, when he ran into the back of the car Stephens was in. Along with having the car seat wedged between the two front seats, the car Stephens and her daughter were in was over occupied with 7 people, when the SUV is meant for 5 people.

Manuel was charged with negligent homicide and speeding in February, and he has been released on $15,000 bond.

Written by Clarke Jones