Homicide charges eyed after crash kills woman, unborn child

Emergency personnel examine the wreckage after the crash. (Mike Anzaldi for the Tribune)

Authorities are considering reckless homicide charges against the driver of a minivan who ran a red light and killed a pregnant mother of five and her unborn child.

Doctors at Stroger Hospital delivered the woman's son through a cesarean section, but the boy died just before noon today, according to hospital officials.

The driver, a 39-year-old man from the West Side, was taken to Loretto Hospital after Wednesday's crash and was in police custody this morning, authorities said.

He has so far been cited for running a red light, driving on a revoked license and driving without insurance. Police are seeking reckless homicide charges against the man, and the Cook County state's attorney's office is looking into the case, officials said.

The accident occurred around 11:30 a.m. when a Ford van heading east on Washington collided with a Chrysler Town and Country minivan that was heading south on Kostner and ran a red light, police said.

Kim Brown, 27, of the 4900 block of West Cortez Street, was pronounced dead at Stroger Hospital. Doctors were able to save her unborn son, but he died just before noon, according to a hospital spokesman.

Doctors believe the pregnancy was six to seven months along. "The baby suffered injuries (from the crash) in addition to being premature," Stroger Hospital spokesman Marcel Bright said Wednesday.

A 30-year-old woman and two girls, ages 3 and 1, were injured in the crash, and were last reported in good condition at Mt. Sinai Hospital.

Kim Brown's grandmother, Ivie Brown, said she'll be caring for her granddaughter's five children. The children, three boys and two girls, range from 3 to 12 years old.

Ivie Brown said she hasn't told the two youngest children, ages 3 and 6, about their mother's death. As for the other three children--ages 9, 11 and 12--who are aware of it: "It hasn't really hit them yet," Ivie Brown said.

She said her granddaughter was a great mother who loved being with her family. She said Kim Brown was a stay-at-home mother.

When asked if she would say anything about the driver who hit her granddaughter, Ivie Brown declined to comment.

"It's not going to bring her back."

--Jeremy Gorner and Evangeline Leventis Lourgos

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