CRIME BLOTTER

2-year-old dies, 8-year-old critically injured after crash in Auburn

Apr 30, 2026, 5:08 PM

Auburn crash...

The scene after a crash in Auburn. (Photo courtesy of the Auburn Police Department)

(Photo courtesy of the Auburn Police Department)

A 2-year-old girl has died, and an 8-year-old girl was critically injured after a car crash in Auburn on Monday.

The toddler died from blunt force injury to her head and neck, the King County Medical Examiner told KING 5. Both juvenile girls were transported by air to Harborview Medical Center in serious condition, the Auburn Police Department (APD) announced.

An APD spokesperson told KING 5 the 8-year-old was not buckled, and the 2-year-old was not in an age-appropriate car seat.

The crash occurred in the Lea Hill area on 104th Avenue S.E. The roadway was closed in both directions for roughly two hours between Lea Hill Road and Green River Road.

Driver in Auburn crash expected to be booked into jail

The driver, 21, remains in the hospital for her injuries. She was initially placed in custody on suspicion of DUI. The woman is expected to be booked into jail for vehicular homicide and vehicular assault charges following her release, according to an APD spokesperson.

The driver is also a family member of both girls, but not the mother, according to KING 5. She had a blood alcohol concentration “well over the legal limit” when she crashed into a tree, the APD spokesperson told the media outlet.

The driver’s exact blood alcohol level was not released.

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2-year-old dies, 8-year-old critically injured after crash in Auburn