Bakersfield,CA : Case remains pending in crash that killed 7-year-old girl on September, Thursday 7th 2017

At least three witnesses to a June rollover crash that killed a 7-year-old girl agreed on two things.

One, that the driver was heading west on Highway 58 at "a high rate of speed," according to court documents.

And two, she was on her cellphone.

The driver, Latonya Stelly, also didn't have any child safety seats in her vehicle, according to the California Highway Patrol.

As of Wednesday, no charges had been filed against her. The Kern County District Attorney's office said the case remains pending.

Stelly, of Merced, was traveling west around 3 p.m. west of Highway 223, according to a probable cause declaration filed in court by California Highway Patrol Officer David Cabrera.

She sped along in a Ford Expedition, one witness reported, then hit the center median, the declaration says. The Expedition veered to the right shoulder then back toward the center median and rolled.

The witness reported seeing debris and possibly a body fly from the vehicle, according to the declaration. The SUV came to a rest on its passenger side in the No. 1 lane of westbound 58.

According to the CHP, all three children in the Expedition were thrown from the vehicle.

Baby Lamya Stelly-Whitelaw, 7, died at the scene.

Zephaniah Patience Stelly-Davis, 7, and King Jacob Stelly, 5, suffered multiple cuts, according to the declaration, and Stelly suffered a broken leg and lacerations. They were taken to Kern Medical Center.

The next day, Stelly checked herself and her children out of the hospital against the advice of doctors, the declaration says.


Source :
Case remains pending in crash that killed 7-year-old girl