Baby dies of injuries from crash

Girl delivered by emergency surgery lived just 3 days

Friday, Oct. 24, 2008

Onikah Sayyida Ishmael, 20, was on her way to take a test at the College of Southern Maryland when she lost control of her car and hit a guardrail on Bumpy Oak Road in La Plata, police reported.

After striking the guardrail, the 2006 Corolla flipped over and hit a tree. Police are still looking into what led up to the crash.

"It is unclear if we'll ever be able to determine the cause of the accident," said Diane Richardson, sheriff's office spokeswoman.

When sheriff's officers arrived at the accident scene at about 9:28 a.m., they flew Ishmael by helicopter to Prince George's Hospital Center in Cheverly, police reported. At the hospital, Ishmael's daughter was delivered by emergency C-section, according to her mother, Joy Ishmael.

However, the infant was suffering from critical injuries and died at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 21, police said. Ishmael died Oct. 20.

Her mother, Joy Ishmael, said the 20-year-old was never able to see or talk to anyone about her newborn daughter, whom she had planned to name Aniyah Avani.

"[Onikah] was excited, very much," said Joy Ishmael. At the time of her death, the 20-year-old hadn't thrown her baby shower yet, but it was being planned, according to her mother.

Onikah Ishmael wanted to marry her fiance and the father of her daughter, but her first priority was finishing school and caring for her child, Joy Ishmael said.

She was planning to live with her parents for a short time while she was pregnant and in college.

After she graduated, she wanted to work as a lab technician, which went along with her passion for the medical field.

"She was full of life," Joy Ishmael said.

The death of Onikah Ishmael's daughter is the 10th traffic fatality in Charles County for 2008, according to police.

brodgers@somdnews.com