By Charles W. Kim, Managing Editor
A Monmouth Junction woman and her 8-year-old daughter are dead following a Sept. 28 crash on Route 27, according to police.
Niesha Middleton, 24, of Monmouth Junction and her daughter Aniyah Smith died within hours of each other Sept. 28 at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick from injuries sustained in the afternoon accident near the intersection of Oak Place and Route 27 in Franklin Township, according to police.
According to police, the accident happened around 2:31 p.m. when Ms. Middleton’s Toyota Scion, driving south on Route 27, attempted to pass a vehicle in front of her car that had slowed for another vehicle.
Police said that Ms. Middleton swerved into the left southbound lane of the roadway and apparently lost control of the vehicle as she tried to re-enter the right lane.
The vehicle then reportedly struck the right curb with the right rear tire, causing a blow-out, police said.
The car then crossed both southbound lanes into the left northbound lane where it collided with a Chrysler Voyager mini-van taxi, according to police
Ms. Middleton sustained critical chest and head injuries in the crash which also seriously injured her daughter Aniyah and son, identified later by school officials as Rahjiv Smith, Jr., 7.
Emergency Medical Service workers rushed all three individuals to the hospital.
While at the hospital, Ms. Middleton died, followed later in the evening by her daughter, according to police.
Rahjiv was treated and released later in the week, family members reported.
The driver of the taxi was treated for a leg injury and his passenger was treated for an arm injury, according to police.
Anyone who may have information about the crash is asked to call either Franklin police at 732-873-5533 or the prosecutor’s office at 908-231-7100.
