5-year-old girl dies, mother arrested in suspected drunk driving crash near Wichita

A mother has been arrested after a suspected drunk driving crash that killed her 5-year-old daughter southeast of Wichita early Sunday morning.

Emergency crews were called at 3:13 a.m. Sunday to an injury accident near 47th Street South and 127th Street East, Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Lt. Benjamin Blick said in a news release.

Deputies found a 2014 Ford Escape that had left the rural roadway and overturned. The driver, 26-year-old Nory Lam, had minor injuries. The passenger, 5-year-old Aleah A. Reyes, was pronounced dead at the scene at 3:39 a.m. after paramedics attempted life-saving measures.

Investigators believe alcohol contributed to the wreck. Lam was arrested on suspicion of involuntary manslaughter while DUI, misdemeanor driving under the influence and transporting an open container of an alcoholic beverage. She is being held in the Sedgwick County jail.

Lam is Aleah’s mom, Blick said.

This story was originally published March 7, 2021 at 2:16 PM.