WABAUNSEE COUNTY, Kan. (TNND) — A 2-year-old girl died following a crash on Interstate 70, near the Paxico Rest Area, on March 15.
According to the Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP), the incident occurred shortly before 5 p.m. A 2007 Ford F-150, carrying the child and her family, veered off the road and struck a limestone embankment after overcorrecting.
The 2-year-old, identified as Diora Lewis, was seated on the lap of a front seat passenger at the time of the crash. Authorities reported that she suffered critical injuries and passed away three days later at Children's Mercy Hospital. The driver and three other siblings, aged 11, 14, and 16, sustained minor injuries.
Kansas law mandates that children under age 4 must be secured in a car seat. “All children under four are required to ride in a car seat,” KHP emphasized. The cause of the crash is currently under investigation.
Emergency response teams were dispatched to the scene, but no details on lane closures or tows have been provided.