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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, September 16, 2005

Traffic crash victim, 10 months old, dies

Advertiser Staff

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A 10-month-old Waialua girl who was critically injured Monday night in a traffic collision near Waimea Bay died Wednesday at The Queen's Medical Center.

Saydee Miller was in a child-restraint seat in the front passenger seat of a Honda sedan that her grandmother, Rhonda Teixeira, was driving toward Hale'iwa when a Dodge minivan headed in the opposite direction crossed the centerline and collided head-on with the Honda.

Saydee and Teixeira, 38, were flown by helicopter to Queen's, as was the 55-year-old van driver. Police have said the van driver was speeding and had been drinking before the collision.

Two passengers in the van were taken to Wahiawa General Hospital and were listed in fair condition upon their arrival.

Darin Awong, Saydee's grandfather and Teixeira's ex-husband, said his granddaughter never emerged from a coma after the crash and died after being taken off life support equipment. He said Teixeira, who suffered cuts and bruises and a broken sternum, was scheduled to be released from the hospital yesterday afternoon.

Awong said he hopes to start a foundation called "Saydee Against Drunk Drivers" to continue educating drivers about the danger of drinking and driving.

"We have to let people know that for every action they take, there are consequences," he said. "If they chose to drink and drive and someone gets hurt, they need to know they will be held accountable."

Awong said donations may be made to The Friends of Saydee and Rhonda, in care of P.O. Box 701133, Kapolei, HI 96709.

Police are continuing their investigation of the accident and have not brought any charges against the van driver. They could not say if or when the van driver might be charged with a criminal offense stemming from the crash.