Driver Jailed for Killing Girl, 4, in Birmingham Crash

0:00On March 13th, a driver in Birmingham has been sentenced to three years and ten months in jail after killing a four-year-old girl in a crash last. April Giovanni Tavener, 23, struck Mayara Yahia as she walked home from Eid celebrations with her family. He pleaded guilty to causing her death by careless driving, along with causing serious injuries to two others and driving uninsured. Tavener was speeding to overtake another car and a 20 mile per hour zone at night. He had cannabis in his system, was using his phone and had no insurance. After mounting the pavement and hitting the pedestrians, he waited just nine seconds, then reversed, dragging the child before fleeing on foot. His girlfriend picked him up shortly after. Mayara's family lived near the crash site, calling it a constant reminder of their loss. Her father described her as full of love and always smiling, noting how her siblings witnessed the tragedy and face-lasting trauma. In court, dash cam footage of the incident drew gasps from those present.

1:00The judge questioned why charges were for careless rather than dangerous driving, which carries tougher penalties. He highlighted Tavener's callous actions, like abandoning the scene and initially blaming someone else. Two injured pedestrian spend weeks in hospital, one needing surgery. Tavener also received eighteen months concurrently for unrelated assault charges, bringing his total time behind bars to five years and four months. He's banned from driving for six years, closing a heartbreaking chapter for the family, while underscoring road safety risks.