Cleveland woman accused of car crash that left baby in coma faces trial

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – Starry Welch, 26, pleaded not guilty in court Friday morning.

She is accused of causing an accident and leaving the scene of an accident on July 18. Police say she hit a mother and her baby. De-Mari Williams was seriously injured. He was placed in an induced coma.

De-Mari's mother, Tashae Williams, was approaching the green light at the corner of East 82nd and St. Clair when Welch collided with her, according to police.

“I just stumbled out of the car, opened the other car door and pulled out the car seat. “I ran with him to the sidewalk. I saw that he was breathing very shallowly,” Williams said.

Police said Welch left the scene. She was arrested on July 29.

19 Investigators requested her driver's license from the state. She was caught driving without a license in four different cities. Welch's license was not valid at the time of the accident.

Records show that she was involved in another accident in Garfield Heights in November 2023 while under the influence of alcohol.

She pleaded no contest and received a one-year suspended sentence.

De-Mari is at Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital and Rehabilitation Center. Tashae tells 19 News he is doing better and is patiently waiting to take him home.

Welch is free on bail and is due back in court on August 27.

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