Car Seat Safety: Child Sustains Fatal Injuries In Tustin Car Crash

A three-year-old girl has died from injuries sustained in a Tustin car accident.
 
The two-vehicle crash occurred on Sunday, May 15 at 4:40 p.m. on eastbound Edinger Avenue at Kensington Park Drive in Tustin.  A male driver broadsided another car that was carrying a man, a woman and the child, 3-year-old Milena Avila.
 
The side impact hit the car near Milena who was sitting in her car seat.  She was critically injured and was taken to Western Medical Center in Santa Ana.  She died of her injuries about three hours after the Orange County accident.
 
Three others were injured in the crash.  Their conditions are not known.
 
The cause of the accident is under investigation.
 
While reading an article about the accident, I noticed a comment that said "car seats could not be trusted."  It is true that the little girl died despite being buckled up.  When a car crashes into the side of a vehicle, anyone sitting near the point of impact is likely to suffer serious injury or death.  While the car seat could not save Malina's life, car seats do offer the best protection for children in almost every type of accident.  Please buckle your child up when in the car.
 
For more information about car seats, read our article, "How can be sure your car seat is safely installed?"
 
The Tustin car accident injury lawyers at Allen, Flatt, Ballidis and Leslie would like to offer our condolences to Milena's family. We are very sorry for your loss.