Mother Charged In Crash That Killed 3-Month-Old Baby
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- "Horrified, devastated and emotional" were the only words Jillian Fender says she could think of when she learned she's been charged for her baby's death.
Dakota County court records show the West St. Paul mother is charged with criminal vehicular homicide for a crash that injured four people and killed her 3-month-old baby last February.
Fender, 30, is also charged with four counts of criminal vehicular injury after police say she caused a crash on Feb. 11, 2010 in Eagan near Cliff Road. A blood test revealed the presence of five different drugs in Fender's system, including two controlled substances.
"I am not a druggie. That was driving recklessly that day that killed my daughter," said Fender.
Fender says she relies on prescription drugs to deal with chronic pain.
"It is legally prescribed to me by a doctor. I had fibromyalgia my whole life -- to the point it is really bad pain. The controlled substance was Hydrocodon, and Xanax for my panic attacks, because I have anxiety. That was it," said Fender, who says her prescriptions only advise to operate machines with caution.
"They are making me out to be some kind of pill-popping junkie that killed my baby," she said. "I didn't and I want the world to know that."
According to the criminal charges, Fender allegedly ran a red light at the intersection, crashing into another vehicle that had the right of way.
The driver of the other vehicle and her son, who was a passenger, were injured. The driver told police she had a green arrow and that she was turning left when Fender's vehicle pulled out into the intersection and hit their vehicle.
Two adults, Fender's fiancé Shawn White, along with the couple's friend and the 3-month-old baby were in Fender's vehicle at the time of the crash. Everyone required medical attention. One passenger was treated for cracked ribs and a cut on his spleen and another suffered a broken leg. The baby was unresponsive.
White says he carried the baby out of the van, but she soon died from her injuries. Court records show that a witness told police White exited the van too quickly to remove the baby from a car seat.
A search warrant was done of Fender's vehicle, which revealed that the child's car seat was not properly installed and the piece that holds the car seat strap in the proper position was broken.
Fender and White argue the car seat was broken upon the impact of the crash.
"Why would I not know my car seat was broken?" said Fender. "That is a lie because she had a snowsuit on. It was extended a little further because of the snow suit on."
Fender insists the other driver hit her, and says the death of her baby should be punishment enough. She says she will appear in court next month to fight the charges.
"I did not kill my baby. That baby was everything to me, and she was buckled up and everything," said Fender.
