An allegedly drunk mom, whose crash on the Henry Hudson Parkway Sunday killed an 11-year-old girl, was deliberately trying to scare the children in her car before the fatal accident, according to a relative of one of the survivors.
The uncle of Kayla Fernandez told NBC New York that 31-year-old Carmen Huertas noted that the seven kids she was transporting were alarmed at how fast she was driving but said, "You think this is fast? Wait til we get to the highway."
When they did get on the highway, Huertas swerved her Mercury Sable swerved off near the W. 96th St. exit, flipped over and rolled several times before slamming into a tree, police said.
"She remembers telling the lady to slow down, and then, for some reason -- and I don't want it to be true, I hope its not true, because she's a mother -- but she said 'If you think this is fast, wait til we get to the highway'," said Raynaldo Tirado, uncle of 11-year-old Kayla Fernandez, who was thrown from the car in the crash and somehow miraculously survived.
Six of the young girls in the car, ages 11 to 14, suffered minor injuries. Leandra Rosado, 11, was killed.
The mom, who broke her arm in the crash, is being charged with manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter and DWI among other charges.
She reportedly was doing 68 mph in a 50 mph zone and failed a Breathalyzer test, blowing .13, or .05 over the limit, police sources said.
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"She deserves life, because not only did she endanger other parents children, but her own as well," said Tirado.
One of the girls in the crash, Yismel Rosario, 14, told the New York Post from her bed at New York Hospital, that Huertas joked "Who thinks we're going to crash?" only moments before they actually did get into the accident.
"The car started swerving back and forth," Rosario said. "I was like, 'Oh, my God!' Then it flipped over. Gisele, Kayla and Leandra flew out of the car. Their eyes were closed. I got out of the car and went to my sister [Gisele]. I held her and said, 'If you can hear me, nod your head.' I told her it would be OK, that help is on the way."
Gisele, spent nine hours in surgery but survived with two broken legs and a back injury.
The girls were apparently headed to a sleepover party at Huertas' house after attending a birthday party in Chelsea.
Leandra's father told NBCNewYork that he was a single parent raising his daughter alone. He she had dreams of becoming an actress.
She wanted to be Jennifer Lopez, Beyonce...all in one," said Lenny Rosado.
"I'm hurt, I'm furious. I want to push. Every parent needs to take a stand for drunk driving," he said. "I don't know what's the criminal offense and how far it goes, but I'd like to see something up to life (in prison)," he said.
The accident happened around 12:45 a.m. That's when the sedan swerved off the highway near the W. 96th St. exit, flipped over and rolled several times before slamming into a tree, police said.
