A family in Virginia is mourning the loss of a toddler who was taken too soon. Sadly, the boy died in a DUI car crash, and the driver was reportedly his teenage mother. The car crash is still being investigated, but police have said the mom was under the influence, although authorities haven’t shared what that might have been. Currently, a lot is unknown about the circumstances surrounding the crash. No one has said anything about how the teenager got access to car keys, especially because she isn’t old enough to drive. It’s unknown if police will share details as the investigation continues.
The mom was driving late at night.
The crash took place just after 2 a.m. on March 23, 2026, Virginia State Police told People. A 14-year-old girl, who has not been identified, was driving a silver sedan in the eastbound lane on Interstate 64. She veered off to the right side and hit the guardrail before crossing over and hitting a barrier on the left side.
There was a 1-year-old in the vehicle who was not properly restrained, police said. He died on March 26 from injuries received during the crash.
The 14-year-old was also not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. She was taken to the hospital with serious injuries.
Currently, she has been charged with driving under the influence, driving without a license, and a child restraint violation, People reported, but additional charges may be pending as the investigation continues.
The family is speaking out.
Relatives spoke with WTKR about the crash, identifying the toddler as Ma’Khai. According to the family, the driver was the boy’s mother. He would have turned 2 years old on April 4.
“I’ve been in his life since day 1. This is the hardest,” his grandmother April Logan told the outlet. Other family members also spoke with WTKR about the boy’s death. They shared videos of the toddler, showing a sweet boy who was clearly very loved.
Logan is the mother of Ma’Khai’s 17-year-old father. She said that despite the pain of losing her grandson, she doesn’t hate the boy’s mother. “The Lord, my spirit, won’t let me. My spirit won’t let me,” she told WTKR.
Donte Walls, Ma’Khai’s godfather, had a strong message for teenagers. “Be more responsible,” he said. “Stop trying to outgrow your age and just be your age. There’s nothing wrong with being a teenager. Stop thinking that you’re grown.”
People have strong opinions about the circumstances of the DUI crash.
The comment section of the People report is full of people who are placing the blame in the hands of the adults.
“This is such a tragic story, and that little boy who sadly died is a victim of a victim. Telling the mother to grow up and act responsibly?” one person wrote. “Did anyone say that to her caregivers when she was not even a teen yet and already pregnant? Kids this young aren’t this lost and out of control on their own.”
“It’s sad that she was a 14-year-old mother to begin with, but why was she driving at 2:00 a.m.? Every adult around her failed her and led to the death of that sweet baby,” someone else commented. “They should be charged as well!”
