Woman, 81, found competent for trial in crash deaths of Wichita mother, daughter
The Augusta woman charged in the drunken-driving crash that killed a Wichita mother and daughter last year is competent to stand trial, a Sedgwick County judge ruled Thursday.
Clowie Ann McLaughlin, 81, immediately entered a not-guilty plea to two counts of involuntary manslaughter after the determination. Judge Sean Hatfield scheduled her jury trial for Aug. 24.
McLaughlin is charged in the Aug. 30, 2025, crash deaths of 42-year-old LaShea Bell and 25-year-old A’Niah Bell at Central and Webb. A probable cause affidavit released in the case last year says McLaughlin drank a cocktail and several glasses of wine at a restaurant before getting into her truck and speeding east on Central. The crash happened when she ran a red light at the intersection.
Data contained in the pickup truck’s airbag control module showed McLaughlin driving at 62 miles per hour for each of the five seconds leading up to the crash; she never stepped on the brakes, the affidavit says.
