MONROE COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI — A 26-year-old mother has died and her three children were injured following a single-vehicle crash Wednesday night on Highway 25, according to authorities.
Monroe County Coroner Alan Gurley identified the victim as Jakiya Smith of Monroe County. Officials said the crash occurred around 7:30 p.m. south of the Monroe County Airport, less than a mile from her home.
Investigators report that Smith was traveling southbound when her SUV left the roadway for reasons that remain under investigation and struck a tree.
Emergency responders transported Smith to North Mississippi Medical Center–Gilmore in Amory before she was later transferred to North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo, where she died from her injuries.
Three of her children were inside the vehicle at the time of the crash. Two of the children were airlifted from the Monroe County Airport to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, while the third was transported to Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis. Authorities have not released updates on their conditions.
The Mississippi Highway Patrol is leading the investigation and has not yet determined what caused the vehicle to leave the roadway.
The incident has left the community mourning the loss of Jakiya Smith while hoping for the recovery of her children as authorities continue their investigation.