Jailed: Mother took cocaine before crashing into tree and killing daughter, 2
A woman has been jailed for causing the death of her two-year-old daughter when her car hit a tree while she was driving while under the influence of drugs.
Danielle Parsons, aged 23 from Castle Road, Weoley Castle, Birmingham, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving on April 1.
Esmee O'Reilly, aged two, died in hospital after the collision on Gibbins Road, Selly Oak on April 30 last year. A family friend also suffered serious injuries but has since recovered.
At Birmingham Crown Court on Thursday, Parsons was sentenced to five years in prison after a complex investigation revealed that she had taken cocaine just hours before getting behind the wheel.
She was also sentenced to two years for causing serious injury to run concurrently and was banned from driving for five-and-a-half years.
Sergeant Steve Newbury, from the force's Collision Investigation Unit, said: "Parsons made the grave mistake of using cocaine that day and then put her family and friends in danger by driving under its influence with them as passengers.
"Her young daughter suffered the ultimate consequences of that decision and lost her life and she will have to live with the knowledge that she caused her death.
"This is the most graphic example that drug driving can kill and change people's lives forever."
Sergeant Newbury added: "I would like to thank the hard work and determination of the Collision Investigation Team to get to the truth and establish all the evidence which has led to this successful prosecution and the dedicated work of the Family Liaison Team in their support of the family.
"Our thoughts remain with them as they continue to come to terms with their loss."
