This is the heartbreaking photo of five-year-old Lennyn Lilic who was taken off life support after her family’s car was hit by an alleged drunk driver.
Semir Lilic, 32, was traveling with his two children, Lennyn and his six-year-old son, when his Volkswagen was hit by another vehicle last Sunday. Police said he was traveling at 75mph in a 55mph zone on South Westsam’s Boulevard in Kearns last Sunday. .
Emergency services rushed the single father and his son to a hospital, while a medical helicopter flew Lennyn to another hospital.
Lennyn suffered serious head injuries, including skull fractures, a broken spine, a broken neck and traumatic brain hemorrhage. Despite doctors’ best efforts, her life support was removed days later.
The other driver, Charmayne Huerta-Guzman, 25, has now been charged with manslaughter and other charges, according to court documents filed Thursday.
This is the heartbreaking photo of five-year-old Lennyn Lilic who was taken off life support after her family’s car was hit by a drunk driver
Lennyn suffered serious head injuries, including skull fractures, a broken spine, a broken neck and traumatic brain hemorrhage
The crash happened around 1 p.m. when Huerta-Guzman passed another vehicle in a blind corner and collided head-on with the Lilic’s car, police said.
Emel Lilic, 6, suffered a broken nose, busted lips and a sprained hip, while Semir had a dislocated shoulder and a broken leg.
“If it had been two seconds, maybe I could have done something different,” says the heartbroken father told ABC4 Monday.
“But (Huerta-Guzman) came so fast that I couldn’t do anything for my kids and me.”
“Maybe if I did something different that day,” he said through tears.
“I tied my son’s shoe for another two seconds, or my car for ten seconds or something like that.
‘But nothing went differently. At the end of the day, you’re just in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Lilic said.
Witnesses told responding officers that a man in Huerta-Guzman’s car had taken bottles of alcohol from the wrecked vehicle after the crash and hid them in the bushes of a nearby church.
Despite doctors’ best efforts, Lennyn’s life support was removed days later
Semir Lilic, 32, was traveling with his two children, aged five and six, when his Volkswagen was hit by another vehicle
Emel Lilic, 6, suffered a broken nose, busted lips and a sprained hip
Semir had a dislocated shoulder and a broken leg
Emergency services rushed the single father and his 6-year-old son to a hospital, while a medical helicopter flew Lennyn to another hospital
The crash happened around 1 p.m. when Huerta-Guzman passed another vehicle in a blind corner and collided head-on with the Lilac’s car.
When officers asked what Huerta-Guzman had been doing before the crash, Huerta-Guzman said “we were drinking and going home,” according to charging documents.
At the hospital, a preliminary blood test showed that her blood alcohol level was 0.24.
Huerta-Guzman is being held without bail and is scheduled to appear in court on February 6.
A fundraiser organized by Lennyn’s cousin Amel Kulovac has raised almost $75,000 for the funeral costs of the little girl and other healthcare costs incurred by the family.
‘This is a very tragic and serious impact on the entire family. Your donation, regardless of the amount, will have a big impact on the Lilic Family!’ Kulovac wrote on the page.
Adding: ‘Please everyone, if you plan on drinking alcohol. Spend that $30 and get a super ride home instead of causing someone’s family a tragic, heartbreaking incident.”