The seven-year-old girl injured in a fatal two-vehicle crash on South Illinois Avenue last week is expected to come home in the next few days, and her mother is out of a hospital’s intensive care unit, a relative said Friday.
On Wednesday, Jason Taylor of Kingston, who is the great-uncle of the seven-year-old, said his great-niece was out of the ICU and in a regular room resting with her grandmother. In another update on Friday, he said the girl is fully awake, and talking well. The first thing she said when she woke up Sunday was: “I’m hungry, and I’m thirsty,” Taylor said.
“Our beautiful seven-year-old little angel is recovering slowly but surely!” Taylor said Wednesday. “She sustained quite a few injuries but is alert, talking, and eating! God protected this child in this (horrific) accident without a doubt. A full recovery is expected but with a long road ahead! Thank you for the update and please continue to pray for all families that were involved!”
Taylor said his niece, Tabitha Douglas, 26, is out of the ICU. Douglas is the mother of the injured girl. On Tuesday, the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville had reported that Douglas was still in critical condition.
Douglas, of Corryton, was driving a sedan at the time of the crash, which was reported at about 2:47 p.m. Friday at Commerce Park Drive, across from the University of Tennessee Arboretum.
A passenger in the sedan, Ashley Blalock, 30, of Knoxville, died.
Two other people injured in the crash have already been discharged, the UT Medical Center said Tuesday. Driver Celia Sparks, 78, and passenger Jeffrey Sparks, 52, both of Knoxville, were in a sport utility vehicle at the time of the crash.
All of the injured victims were taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville. Two were taken by UT Lifestar medical helicopters and two by ambulance.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
More information will be added as it becomes available.
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