Mother of 6-year-old who died in Muncie crash arrested, faces OWI charges
MUNCIE, Ind. (WISH) — A second person is in custody Tuesday afternoon following a fatal crash that killed a 6-year-old girl Sunday.
The crash happened around 4:30 p.m. on the Muncie Bypass just north of Meeker Avenue.
According to preliminary investigations, Jessica Skeens, 28, of Farmland, was driving a van north on the Muncie Bypass and arguing with Nathaniel Jordan, her boyfriend, when he allegedly punched Skeens and grabbed the steering wheel, causing her to lose control of the van, which rolled over into the ditch.
6-year-old Taelyn Woodson was partially ejected from the van and died of her injuries. Investigations showed she was not properly restrained in her child seat.
Skeens was arrested Tuesday afternoon and charged with neglect of a dependent causing death, operating while intoxicated causing the death of another person, operating while intoxicated with a passenger less than 18 years of age and three counts of neglect of a dependent.
Toxicology reports revealed Skeens had a blood-alcohol level over Indiana’s 0.08 threshold.