Mother arrested in crash investigation into daughter’s death

A Columbus mother is under arrest after an investigation into a January crash that killed her 10-year-old daughter.

Kaydence Mings of Columbus was pronounced dead at the scene of the Jan. 17th crash on East 25th Street, west of County Road 650E. Her cause of death was massive traumatic injuries according to the Bartholomew County coroner’s office.

She was a rear-seat passenger in the single-vehicle crash of a westbound SUV driven by her mother, 29-year-old Katelyn Mings.

Her mother, Webster Gilcrease, and an infant were also in the vehicle. Mings and Gilcrease were injured in the crash and first taken to Columbus Regional Hospital and then to IU Methodist Hospital for treatment.

After an investigation by the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, Columbus Police Department and Indiana State Police was completed, the report went to the Bartholomew County prosecutor’s office. On Tuesday, Mings was charged with causing a death while operating a vehicle while intoxicated and operating a vehicle while intoxicated while endangering a person less than 18 years old.

A warrant was issued and she was arrested by Bartholomew County deputies at her home.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated