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4-year-old girl dies after accident; southbound lanes of I-71/75 closed overnight

A child has died and another person was hospitalized after all lanes on southbound I-71/75 were closed for hours Sunday evening in Kenton County. According to Kenton County police, the crash occurred around 9:35 p.m. near mile marker 185.9. Officials say arriving officers found a blue 2013 Hyundai Sonata with extensive damage and the vehicle’s two occupants with serious injuries. Officials say a 2012 Ford F-650 box truck was also involved. Police say the driver of the Hyundai, a 30-year-old Cincinnati man, was traveling southbound on I-75 when he struck the rear of the truck, which was not moving and was at the end of the merge lane of the Buttermilk Pike on-ramp. Authorities say the driver was taken to St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Edgewood, Kentucky, before being transported by helicopter to UC Medical Center. The man is in stable condition, police say. Officials say the vehicle’s passenger, Micaela Lopez, 4, was taken to St. Elizabeth in Edgewood but later died at the hospital. “It’s tragic and heartbreaking, not only for the family, but for the police officers and first responders who were there. They were affected as well,” said Kenton County Police Chief Spike Jones. Police say contributing factors to the crash are still under investigation. The crash is being investigated by Kenton County police at the request of Villa Hills police. The Kenton County Police Major Traffic Accident Reconstruction Unit is asking anyone who may have witnessed the crash to call 859-392-1955.

A child has died and another person was hospitalized after a fatal crash in Kenton County Sunday evening that closed all lanes on southbound I-71/75 for hours.

According to Kenton County police, the accident occurred around 9:35 p.m. near mile marker 185.9.

According to officials, arriving police found a blue 2013 Hyundai Sonata with significant damage. The two occupants of the vehicle suffered serious injuries.

According to officials, a 2012 Ford F-650 van was also involved.

According to police, the driver of the Hyundai, a 30-year-old man from Cincinnati, was traveling south on I-75 when he collided with the rear of the truck, which had broken down at the end of the merge lane before the Buttermilk Pike on-ramp.

According to authorities, the driver was first taken to St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Edgewood, Kentucky, and then transported by helicopter to UC Medical Center.

The man’s condition is stable, police said.

Officials said the vehicle’s passenger, 4-year-old Micaela Lopez, was taken to St. Elizabeth in Edgewood but later died at the hospital.

“It is tragic and heartbreaking, not only for the family, but for the police officers and first responders who were on the scene. They were affected as well,” said Kenton County Police Chief Spike Jones.

According to police, the factors contributing to the accident are still under investigation. The accident is being investigated by the Kenton County Police Department at the request of the Villa Hills Police Department.

The Kenton County Police Major Traffic Accident Reconstruction Unit is asking anyone who may have witnessed the accident to call 859-392-1955.