Baby killed after driver without license struck mother pushing stroller in NJ parking lot

Updated 2 hours ago
JACKSON TOWNSHIP, New Jersey (WABC) -- A woman driving a vehicle who did not have a driver's license struck a mother pushing a stroller with two children inside, killing the baby, in the parking lot of a New Jersey grocery store, police said.

A 9-month-old was killed after a mother and two kids were hit by a car in a parking lot in Jackson Township on Friday, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said.

Two women were charged in the incident.

Maria CobonGuzman, 20, of Trenton was charged with manslaughter, operating a vehicle without ever having possessed or issued a valid driver's license, and two counts of assault by auto, Billhimer said.

Ariadna Lazaro-Flores, 22, of Toms River, was charged with knowingly engaging in conduct creating a substantial risk of death to another, in connection with the same incident.



Police said a mother and her two children, a 5-year-old girl and a nine-month-old boy were hit by a vehicle in the NPGS grocery store parking lot on West County Line Road in Jackson Township around 11:55 a.m.

All three were taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune. The mother and 5-year-old are in stable condition and the nine-month-old was pronounced dead at the hospital, police said.

Police said CobonGuzman was driving a Ford Fusion in the parking lot of the grocery store when she hit the mother and the baby carriage carrying both children.

A further investigation revealed CobonGuzman did not possess, nor had she ever possessed, a valid driver's license in New Jersey or any other state.

Police said Lazaro-Flores was aware of that and let CobonGuzman operate the vehicle.



They were taken into custody and transported to the Ocean County Jail.

The incident remains under investigation.

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