A 28-year-old Kansas mother has been charged with murder after she led a deputy on a high speed chase late Sunday afternoon and crashed, killing her 17-month-old child.
Maria Papalas crashed into a wall at about 5:30 p.m. but fled when an Atchison County deputy pulled up behind behind her and got out to speak with her, according to the Atchison Globe. The deputy followed but lost sight of her until he saw a cloud of dust and found that the vehcile and gone off the road, over a fence, and crashed into trees, rolling over several times before coming to a stop.
Papalas was standing outside the vehicle when the deputy arrived, and he saw her reach into the back seat and pull the toddler out of the window. She hit and kicked the deputy when he tried to take her into custody, but he was ultimately successful and began tending the child until medics arrived on the scene.
The boy, Mixalis Papalas-Schultz, was taken to Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City with life-threatening injuries. The boy died on Tuesday, KMBC reported.
Jail records show Papalas has been charged with first-degree murder, fleeing a law enforcement officer, aggraate endangering a child, interference with law enforcement, battery on a law enforcement officer, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, possession of marijuana, and reckless driving.
She’s being held on a $500,000 bond.
