CHARLOTTE — An 8-year-old child was killed early Friday morning after a vehicle crashed into a tree along East Independence Boulevard, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.
Police said officers responded around 2:30 a.m. to the 600 block of East Independence Boulevard, where they found a heavily damaged Honda Civic that had left the roadway and struck a tree.
The child, identified as Ilam Mateo Espinoza Castaneda, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver, 32-year-old Mayra Castaneda, suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
CMPD’s preliminary investigation found that Castaneda was driving westbound at a high rate of speed while impaired when she lost control of the vehicle and crashed.
Detectives said she was screened for impairment and determined to be impaired, with both speed and impairment identified as contributing factors.
Castaneda has been charged with felony death by vehicle, as well as reckless driving endangering another person. Her bond has been set at $1 million.
The Major Crash Investigation Unit continues to investigate the fatal collision and is asking anyone with information to contact detectives or Crime Stoppers.