In the spring of 2020, the life of a bright and eager 5-year-old Black girl named Kamerynn Young was tragically cut short in Birmingham, Alabama. On the evening of April 1st, Kamerynn was in a car with her family when their vehicle was struck by a driver who was fleeing from the police. The young girl, who was known for her love of learning and was excelling in kindergarten, sustained fatal injuries in the collision.
Her mother, father, and younger sister were also in the car and were injured in the devastating crash.
The events leading to the fatal incident began when Birmingham police officers observed a Ford F-350 being driven erratically at high speeds on Parkway East. The driver, later identified as Daniel Cody Martin, was reportedly weaving through traffic and traveling at speeds of at least 100 miles per hour. Although officers attempted to follow the vehicle, they lost sight of it before it ultimately collided with the Young family's Nissan Sentra at the intersection of Parkway East and Springville Road. After the crash, Martin fled the scene on foot.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, Daniel Cody Martin was apprehended and faced multiple charges, including reckless murder, as well as possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia. In addition to the criminal charges, a wrongful death lawsuit was filed against Martin and his employer at the time of the crash, ProComm Advanced Quality Solutions. The lawsuit alleged that Martin was in his work truck during the incident. The case also brought scrutiny to the Birmingham Police Department's policies regarding high-speed chases.
