Child Avoids Brain Damage After Crash Thanks To Safety Seat

A horrific crash on Saturday, January 3rd, left an entire family injured. Even though a five-year-old girl suffered head trauma in the crash, her parents are grateful she won’t suffer from any permanent brain damage.

According to the report filed on the AZ Family website, Cyreena Noe-Idlebird and her boyfriend, Nic Sterline, had just gone to a relative’s home to pick up their 5-year-old daughter, Jessie. On their way home, the family was waiting to turn left at the intersection of 43rd and Peoria Avenue.

Sterling finally saw an opening to make his turn when a pickup truck came barreling toward them. Noe-Idlebird remembers yelling at her partner, warning him of the oncoming truck. Just seconds later, the larger vehicle crashed into their sedan.

Noe-Idlebird and her daughter, Jessie, were knocked unconscious. Jessie was in a child restraint seat between her parents in the front seat at the time because a brand new bicycle the little girl received as a Christmas present was in the back seat.

Emergency crews rushed the family to Banner Thunderbird Medical Center and Phoenix Children’s hospital for treatment.

When Noe-Idlebird regained consciousness and was told that her daughter, Jessie, had suffered a fractured jaw, two fractures to the back of her skull and was in a medically induced coma, Noe-Idlebird told the Arizona Republic that knowing her daughter was in a different hospital and she couldn’t be there for her was terrifying.

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On Tuesday, Noe-Idlebird was told by doctors that Jessie had not suffered any permanent brain damage in the crash and was no longer in a coma. The little girl was going to be alright. Doctors believe that being in the front seat between her parents at the time of the crash may have been what prevented Jessie’s injuries from being even more severe.

Noe-Idlebird herself suffered six fractures to her pelvic bone and a shattered clavicle. Doctors have inserted a metal bar into her chest, which will likely remain in place for the rest of her life. She has a surgery scheduled later this week and will probably spend a lot of time in physical therapy to regain some of her mobility.

Sterling also was injured in the crash and suffered a collapsed lung and fractured ribs but has been released from the hospital.

Phoenix Police have not named the driver of the truck and say the accident is still under investigation.

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