Two parents have been charged in connection with the tragic death of an 18-year-old girl following a deadly car accident in Atlanta, Georgia. Sophia Lekiachvili was seriously injured when the car she was traveling in crashed on Oak Grove Road in the early hours of the morning. He died hours later at Grady Memorial Hospital from his injuries.
The driver, Hannah Hackemeyer, 18, was arrested shortly after the accident. She has been charged with failure to maintain lane, reckless driving, driving under the influence (under 21) and first-degree vehicular manslaughter.
In addition to Hackemeyer, the parents of another passenger, Ananya Rao, have also been charged. Sumanth and Anindita Rao are accused of knowingly allowing minors to drink in their home and allowing teenagers to go out for a late-night walk. Police say the parents were present when the teens, including Lekiachvili, Hackemeyer and Rao, were seen drinking wine, they said. Fox5atlanta.
The girls allegedly told the adults they were going for a drive around 11:45 p.m. and would leave the house with a bottle of wine. District Attorney Sherry Boston He described Rao’s home as a “party house,” alleging that the parents regularly allowed minors to drink. As a result, the Raos face charges of involuntary manslaughter, reckless conduct and maintaining public order.
The charges against the parents highlight growing concern about the consequences of underage drinking, especially when it causes fatal accidents. The case is particularly poignant given the recent tragedy in California, where three teenage athletes died in a fiery Tesla Cybertruck crash after reportedly drive at high speeds.
The three crash victims – Soren Dixon, Jack Nelson and Krysta Tsukahara, all 19 – died in the horrific incident around 3 a.m. in the affluent town of Piedmont. Another teenager, Jordan Miller, 20, survived but suffered severe burns and is currently in critical condition in the ICU. His mother, Samantha Miller, remains hopeful about his recovery, saying, “We have reason to believe he will survive.”
Piedmont police have indicated that speed was likely a factor in the accident, in which the vehicle jumped the curb, hit a concrete wall, hit a tree and burst into flames. Despite initial attempts by the police to put out the fire, local firefighters managed to quickly bring it under control.