Boy, 12, dies after life support machines removed

Boy, 12, dies after life support machines removed

A family photo of Jake L. Fry

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Story Published: Feb 28, 2007 at 10:41 AM PDT

Story Updated: Feb 28, 2007 at 11:25 AM PDT

By KATU Web Staff

WOODLAND, Wash. - A 12-year-old boy who was critically injured following a serious crash where he was at the wheel has died.

The family of  Jake L. Fry, 12, had been keeping him connected to life support machines even though he was described as having no significant brain activity. The machines were disconnected overnight Tuesday, according to his family.

Fry suffered serious injuries Monday afternoon when the car he was driving, a 1993 Ford Taurus, struck an oncoming sport utility vehicle on North Pekin Road in the Woodland area.

Two other people were in the car, including his father's girlfriend, 34-year-old Kelley Hill, and her 12-year-old daughter, Trisha Delcoure.  They were treated and released from local hospitals.

Two people in the SUV, 55-year-old Donna Howell and 8-year-old Madelyn Howell, were treated and released from a local hospital.

Doctors gave Fry about a one percent chance of pulling through and on Tuesday an announcement was made that he had died.

However, family members later told KATU News the boy was still on life support because they were waiting for more relatives to arrive at the hospital before taking him off the machines. 

His family said Fry had suffered massive brain swelling and was brain dead.

Questions are now being raised about why the boy was driving the car, and there are conflicting reports about what led to the wreck.

"It is difficult to say what justification there may be for allowing a 12-year-old to drive a car," said Cowlitz County Sheriff's Captain Mark Nelson in a news release.

Kelley Hill, the adult in the car with the 12-year-old, could face charges.

Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call Deputy Brad Bauman at (360) 577-3092 or Crime Stoppers at (360) 577-1206.

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