By Charles W. Kim, Managing Editor
SOUTH BRUNSWICK — An 8-year-old girl from Queens died Monday following a crash on the New Jersey Turnpike, according to state police.
Lt. Stephen Jones said that Ayanah Paxton, 8, of Queens, New York, was pronounced dead at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick Monday afternoon.
According to Lt. Jones, Ayanah was riding as a passenger in the left rear of a 2004 GMC Envoy operated by her mother, Pricilla Paxton, 48, which was traveling southbound on the Turnpike.
Just before 11:45 a.m., Ms. Paxton lost control of the vehicle for an unknown reason near milepost 75.2 and slid across the road, striking the cement median and overturning, landing on its wheels, according to Lt. Jones.
The child was ejected from the vehicle during the crash.
Lt. Jones said that police are not certain if the child was wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident.
She was flown to the hospital by state police helicopter and was later pronounced dead, Lt. Jones said.
Medics from Robert Wood Johnson and Monroe Township Municipal Ambulance took Ms. Paxton and front seat passenger, Maurice Corney, 17, of Jamaica Plains, New York, to the hospital, Lt. Jones said.
Police could not comment on the extent of their injuries.
The accident caused the inner roadway to close periodically during the investigation and while the crash was cleared, but traffic was still able to get through the area, Lt. Jones said.
Units from the Monroe Fire Department, District 3 also responded to the scene.
Lt. Jones said the accident remains under investigation.
