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Mother killed, baby in car seat OK after DeKalb County crash

When officers arrived, they found the car upside down in an embankment.
When officers arrived, they found the car upside down in an embankment.
By
Aug 19, 2019

A mother was killed Saturday in a car crash in DeKalb County, but her baby was found unharmed, police said.

Officers responded to the wreck about 7:20 p.m. in the area of Browns Mill Road and East Saddleridge Drive near Lithonia, DeKalb police spokesman Sgt. J.D. Spencer told Channel 2 Action News.

Authorities found the car upside down in an embankment, he said. The driver, identified as 23-year-old Valencia Merit, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Spencer said her son was found inside the vehicle still secured inside his car seat.

While the baby was not injured, he was taken to a local hospital for evaluation, Spencer said. His age was not released.

The investigation is ongoing.

We are working to learn more.

— Please return to AJC.com for updates.

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Police said the shooting broke out during a fight. Carver High School played Mays High School Friday night.

About the Author

Asia Simone Burns is a watchdog reporter for the AJC. Burns was formerly an intern in AJC’s newsroom and now writes about crime. She is a graduate of Samford University and has previously reported for NPR and WABE, Atlanta’s NPR member station.

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