A 4-month-old girl, strapped into her car seat, walked away unharmed after a moving truck struck her family’s vehicle over Memorial Day weekend.
LITHIA SPRINGS, Ga. — A young mother died and her infant daughter survived without any injuries after a moving truck struck their vehicle over Memorial Day weekend in Lithia Springs.
The crash, a multi-vehicle collision, happened at the intersection of Thornton Road and Waterway Circle. According to family members, 18-year-old Aubrey Phillips was traveling with her 4-month-old daughter, Nyelle, and other relatives when a moving truck struck their car. The impact sent the vehicle flipping several times before it came to rest near a utility pole. Emergency responders tried to save Phillips, but she died from her injuries.
Her infant daughter, secured in her car seat, survived the rollover without a single injury. On Monday, Phillips’ relatives visited the scene of the collision for the first time since the tragedy, describing the baby’s survival as a complete miracle.
The Georgia State Patrol is leading an active investigation into the crash. Officials have not yet confirmed what caused the moving truck to collide with the family’s vehicle, and it remains unknown whether weather, mechanical failure, or driver impairment played a role. Investigators have not released any information about potential traffic charges or citations, and the conditions of the other family members who were inside the vehicle have not been disclosed.
As the family mourns, they have focused on the survival of Phillips’ daughter. “It’s heartbreaking. A lot of people loved Aubrey, a lot of people. It doesn’t feel real. I’m waiting for her to bust through the door,” said Florence Scott, Phillips’ mother. “Aubrey was the light. She was our sunshine. She was always laughing, always playing, she always brought your spirit up.”
Scott described the routine she shared with her daughter and her disbelief at the sudden loss. “It still doesn’t feel real, you know? I’m waiting on her to call me and say, ‘Where’s the baby? Put the camera on to see the baby,'” she said. Remembering how Phillips embraced motherhood, Scott added, “She was so proud of her baby, so happy to be a mom. She had a good spirit about her, and it lives on in her baby. She’s just as happy as her mom.”
Phillips’ godmother, Tanasha Talbert, said the family is trying to stay resilient for both Phillips and her daughter, recalling Phillips as an energetic presence who “was the light of the party, always excited to learn things, do new things, and cook or make a cooking video — that’s what she loved to do.”
The Georgia State Patrol’s investigation remains ongoing. To help get their remaining questions answered about the mechanics of the collision, the Phillips family has retained legal counsel. The family has also launched a verified online fundraiser to help cover upcoming expenses.
