DALTON, GA : Girl, 8, injured in fatal wreck that killed 3 returns home on Tuesday, 20th September 2016

The 8-year-old girl who was injured in an automobile wreck in Bartow County that saw her mother and two younger siblings killed has been released from a hospital in Atlanta and is back home with family here in Dalton.

Family member Hope Harris Amaral said Shamya Washington was released Monday from Children's Healthcare of Atlanta's Egleston Hospital and is recovering from cuts and lacerations suffered in the Friday night crash that took the life of 25-year-old Deneisha Washington and Washington's two other children, 2-year-old Lyania Bynum and 11-month infant Octavian Bynum.

Authorities in Bartow County have said the other driver in the wreck was driving under the influence and have charged 51-year-old Rockmart resident Scottie Worfford with DUI and three counts of vehicular homicide.

"She is going to be scarred, but she will have a lot of love and support around her," Amaral said of Shamya.

Amaral, who is a cousin of Shamya Washington, said the family is trying to come to terms with the devastating losses.

"There are just a lot of prayers going on right now and making sure her mother (of Deneisha Washington) is getting the support she needs," Amaral said.

"There have been a lot of ministers come by and it is a lot of conversations with the Lord. I know we aren't supposed to question, but right now the conversations are a lot of 'Why?'"

Amaral said the loss of a young mother and her two children has been heart-wrenching for the family.

"She was a loving, caring mother," Amaral said. "She was very rarely without her children. She was a good mother. She had her oldest when she was 16 and still finished school and took care of her. Everywhere she went, those babies were with her. She was a humble, sweet and quiet young woman. The next day I made my sons just come over and give me a hug because you just never know. Gone too soon. Gone too soon."

Funeral arrangements are still pending as Amaral said the bodies of Washington and her children haven't been released by the state crime lab. Amaral said she was told during such investigations the bodies of the victims are usually released within three business days.

Amaral started a GoFundMe.com page from which all proceeds will go to Yolanda Washington, Deneisha's mother.

"Yolanda works two jobs and is going to have custody of her granddaughter, and I wanted to help and for other people to be able to help," Amaral said. "There will be some expenses and I wanted to help with one thing she wouldn't need to worry about so she can focus on getting Shamya back to as normal a life as possible."

Georgia State Patrol troopers told coosavalleynews.com that a 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck driven by Worfford and Washington's Cherokee were traveling east in the left lane of Highway 411. Worfford told troopers the Jeep was slowing down and he was not able to stop the truck. The pickup struck the rear of the Jeep with its front and both vehicles left the north shoulder of the highway and came to a rest in the median facing north.

Worfford, who was treated at the hospital in Cartersville for minor chest pains, has also been charged with serious injury by vehicle and following too closely.

Source :
Girl, 8, injured in fatal wreck that killed 3 returns home