Grants woman hits tree; 4 children injured
Children not properly restrained

By Jim Tiffin
Cibola County Bureau

GRANTS — A single vehicle accident on Wednesday injured four children ages 5 and under, including the mother, Grants Police said.

At 12:35 p.m., Daisie Shultz, 21, was driving a 1995 Chevrolet four door vehicle when she struck a tree at 541 E. Stephens, said Grants Police Lt. Maxine Spidle.

The cause of the accident is currently being investigated, Spidle said.

"The mother told us she had been having problems with her car," Spidle said.

Shultz was issued one misdemeanor citation in connection with the improper use of child restraints, that included all four of her children.

The children, ages 1,3,4 and 5, were all slightly injured and transported to Cibola General Hospital by ambulance. Shultz also received an injury to her nose and an ankle, Spidle said.

The 1 and 3 year olds were in child safety seats, but the seats were not properly secured in the car, Spidle said. The older children, the 4 and 5 year olds, were not in safety seats and were not wearing seat belts, she said.

The children's injuries were reported by police as: 1-year-old male child, forehead and neck; the 2-year-old female child, forehead; the 4-year-old female child, face; and the 5-year-old female child, head injury. The hospital did not confirm or deny the children were treated, released or hospitalized, citing patient privacy laws.

"The mother was driving westbound on Stephens at the intersection with Divine Avenue when she struck the tree," Spidle said.

When child safety seats are not properly fitted or secured in vehicles, the chances of children receiving more significant injuries is increased, Spidle said.

Grants police are sending two officers to attend a National Standardized Child Passenger Safety training course, Spidle said.

"This means two of our officers will be considered technicians for the child safety seat area and parents may come to the police department for free, and have these officers make sure the child safety seats in the parents' vehicles are properly fitted and secured," Spidle said.

The incident continues to be under investigation. Spidle said she would not know, until the investigation is completed, whether Shultz will receive additional citations.

To contact reporter Jim Tiffin, call (505) 287-2197, or e-mail: jtiffin.independent@yahoo.com.