Fundraiser set up for child killed in bridge crash; authorities update investigation
Published 12:30 am Wednesday, April 6, 2022
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A GoFundMe page has been set up to help a family with the final expenses of a child killed in crash last month on the Rainbow Bridge.
The fundraiser page titled “Long Live Ivy” was created by Arronecia Tolbert, who identifies herself as a coworker of Anetria Alexander, whose daughter, Ivy Davis, 4, was killed in the March 25 crash.
As of Tuesday afternoon, $11,585 had been raised.
Tolbert, on the GoFundMe page, said her friend needs gas, food and help taking care of the child’s funeral.
The follow-up into the multi-vehicle crash remains under investigation, and no citations have been issued as of Tuesday, said Shana Clark, media sergeant with the Texas Department of Public Safety.
The 4-year-old was a passenger in a Dodge car driven by her godmother, Angela Deleon, Justice of the Peace Ben Collins Sr. said.
The child was originally from the Arlington area.
Preliminary autopsy results show the child was ejected from the vehicle and suffered multiple blunt force trauma and died upon arrival at Christus Hospital St. Elizabeth in Beaumont. Neither Davis nor Deleon were wearing seat belts or were restrained.
Deleon was taken to Christus St. Elizabeth, where she was initially listed in critical condition. Port Arthur Newsmedia contacted the hospital to check Deleon’s medical condition but was told there was no one there by that name.
The crash took place approximately 12:10 p.m. March 25 on Texas 87 on the Rainbow Bridge. The 230-foot tall bridge connects motorists between Orange and Jefferson counties.
A 2005 Ford pickup was disabled in the left lane of the bridge, DPS said. A 2018 Chevrolet pickup pulled behind the disabled vehicle and turned on its emergency flashers and put cones out in an attempt to assist with traffic.
It is reported that a 2015 Dodge passenger car driven by Deleon failed to control its speed and struck the rear of the Chevrolet, which pushed it into the Ford.
After the impact, the Dodge skidded into the right lane and struck the guardrail.