Name Released Of 2-Year-Old Girl Killed In PG County Crash

OXON HILL, MD — Authorities on Saturday released the name of a 2-year-old girl who was killed in a three-vehicle crash on the outer loop of the Capital Beltway. Charges are pending in Friday night's accident in Prince George's County, according to Maryland State Police. When police arrived, the child was unconscious and family members and a bystander were trying to give medical treatment to the child.

The victim is identified as Leelete Andargie, 2, of Oxon Hill. She was taken from the scene by the Prince George’s County Fire Department to Children’s National Pediatric Hospital in Washington, D.C., where she was later pronounced dead.

Investigators say Leelete was restrained in a forward-facing child safety seat in a 2017 Toyota Camry, driven by her father, Assegid A. Damena, 46, of Oxon Hill. Also in the vehicle in the front passenger seat was her mother, Sisaynesh B. Abetew, 33, of Oxon Hill, and her sister, Meklit Andargie, 5, of Oxon Hill, who was in a child booster seat in the right rear passenger seat. Meklit Andargie was also taken to the Children’s National Pediatric Hospital for treatment.

Two other vehicles were involved in the crash. Police say a 2017 Chevrolet Malibu driven by Nicole L. Williams, 37, of Waldorf, was northbound on I-495 when she failed to slow for stopped traffic and struck the rear of Damena's Camry, which then hit the rear of a Cadillac CTS sedan driven by Ronald J. Berry, 53, of Temple Hills.

Both Williams and Berry refused medical treatment at the scene.

Maryland State Police reminded drivers to always buckle up and to maintain a safe following distance from vehicles ahead of them. Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call the Forestville Barrack at 301-568-8101.

The three-vehicle collision caused an extended closure at Maryland Route 5 (Branch Avenue) as Maryland State Police CRASH team members investigated the accident. Despite the road reopening, outer loop delays extended from Virginia starting at Telegraph Road to Branch Avenue, authorities said about 8:30 p.m. Friday.

Prince George’s County Fire and EMS, along with Maryland State Highway, assisted Maryland State Police at the scene.