Birmingham Drug Driving Mum Jailed For Crash Which Killed Daughter

10 June 2016, 12:23 | Updated: 10 June 2016, 12:34

It's after a crash in Birmingham in April 2015 where the 2 year-old died

A 23 year-old mother from Birmingham has been jailed for causing the death of her daughter while she was driving under the influence of drugs.

Danielle Parsons from Weoley Castle hit a tree on Gibbons Road in Selly Oak last April and 2 year-old Esmee O'Reilly, who was in the car's back seat, died later in hospital.

She pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury to a family friend who was also in the car at the time.

Parsons was also told at her sentencing on Thursday that she would serve two years in jail after admitting causing serious injury by dangerous driving, to run concurrently.

She was also banned from driving for five-and-a-half years.

Sergeant Steve Newbury, from the force's collision investigation unit, said: 

"Parsons made the grave mistake of using cocaine that day and then put her family and friends in danger by driving under its influence with them as passengers.

"Her young daughter suffered the ultimate consequence of that decision and lost her life and she will have to live with the knowledge that she caused her death.

"This is the most graphic example that drug driving can kill and change people's lives forever.

"I would like to thank the hard work and determination of the collision investigation team to get to the truth and establish all the evidence which has led to this successful prosecution and the dedicated work of the family liaison team in their support of the family.

"Our thoughts remain with them as they continue to come to terms with their loss."

Speaking at the time of the crash, the little girl's uncle, Brendan O'Reilly, paid tribute to his "happy-go-lucky" niece.

He said: "She was always smiling, and never stopped smiling - she was a happy-go-lucky little girl."

Mr O'Reilly said he last saw his niece the night before the fatal crash on April 30, when she was her usual happy self.

"She had beautiful blue eyes," he added.