Newborn dies following Dec. 4 car crash in Pontiac

Pontiac — An infant that was born prematurely following a car crash has died, the Oakland County Sheriff's Office said Friday.

The baby was removed from his mother's womb last week after the crash and placed on life support, officials said. The infant was airlifted Monday to Children’s Hospital in Detroit and died.

Authorities said the crash happened at about 4 a.m. Dec. 4, in the area of Sanford and Whittemore near Auburn and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Pontiac.     

According to a preliminary investigation, a Pontiac man who was driving a 2019 Kia Forte disregarded a stop sign and crashed into a 2015 Chrysler 200 traveling on Sanford. A woman who was nine months pregnant was a passenger in the Kia's front seat. Two children she shares with the driver, a 13-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy, were also in the vehicle. A Detroit man was driving the Chrysler.

After the crash, the Kia's driver exited the vehicle and fled on foot. Deputies arrested him in the front yard of his home a short distance away, officials said.

His passenger complained to deputies about abdominal pain and medics were called. She was taken to a hospital. The 13-year-old was also taken to a hospital with minor injuries. Her older brother was unharmed in the crash.

Deputies continue to investigate and said they will present their findings to the county prosecutor's office for possible criminal charges.