Mother of 6-month-old Detroit baby killed in hit-and-run crash taken into custody

Demetrius Brown Jr. killed in crash

DETROIT – The mother of a 6-month-old boy who was killed in a hit-and-run crash has been taken into custody, Detroit police said.

The Detroit Police Department announced Monday it was looking for the woman in connection with the baby's death as well as other charges, according to authorities.

UPDATEMother charged in connection with baby's death

Demetrius Brown Jr. was killed Thursday night.

A Detroit man was charged Monday in connection with the fatal hit-and-run that killed Demetrius and injured three others on Detroit's west side.

Deandre L. Cody, 31, is charged with failure to stop at an accident when at fault resulting in death, two counts of failure to stop at an accident resulting in serious injury resulting in death or serious impairment, driving with a suspended license causing death, and two counts of driving with a suspended license causing serious injury.

ORIGINAL REPORT: 6-month-old boy killed in hit-and-run; Detroit police search for driver

The crash occurred at about 8:30 p.m. Thursday when a silver Pontiac Grand Prix T-boned a minivan at the intersection of Archdale Street and Puritan Avenue, which is near the Southfield Freeway south of West McNichols Road.

The van was hit so hard it flipped and rolled over. There were six people inside -- a mother, grandmother and four children ages 6 months, 2 years, 4 years, and 12 years old. All four children were thrown from the van after the windows shattered.

Demetrius was killed. The rest of the people in the minivan suffered non-life-threatening injuries. 

The deadly hit-and-run crash on Detroit’s west side sent the family’s van flipping – ejecting all four of Layoya Powel’s children who were sitting in the back seat.

“And I woke up, I was on the ground, and I just got up like ‘my babies, my babies!’” Powel said.

The family says despite being properly restrained in a car seat, Demetrius did not survive his injuries from the crash.

“He was born a preemie, he got big and was starting to crawl and laugh, and in 6 months, they took him away from us,” Brown said.

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About the Author:

Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports.