Woman charged after 1-year-old boy killed in Atchison, Kansas crash

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A 28-year-old woman is being held in an Atchison County jail after police said she fled from officers and caused a crash that killed an infant on Sunday, Aug. 25.

According to jail records, Maria Papalas of Atchison, Kansas was arrested on a number of charges.

The Kansas Highway Patrol said Papalas was speeding southbound on Sherman Road in a 2014 Toyota Corolla. The crash report said that Papalas was attempting to flee from police.

Shawnee parents continue fight for justice after son’s deadly crash

During the chase, Papalas lost control at a curve and drove into a ditch, causing her to roll multiple times before the car came to a stop on its roof.

Papalas received only minor injuries in the crash, however, a 1-year-old boy faced life-threatening injuries. The infant ended up dying at Children’s Mercy Hospital two days later, on Tuesday, Aug., 27 at about 2:25 p.m.

The crash report identified the infant as Mixalis Papalas-Schultz.

One resident told FOX4 that the town is mourning the child’s death.

“I think it’s pretty bad. It’s irresponsible behavior. A child was killed in this because of a crazy driver,” he said. “I think she was just too young, the baby was even younger. We lost someone that day down here in Atchison.”

Papalas is being held in the Atchison County Jail under a $500,000 cash bond.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.