Baby killed in ambulance crash was being driven to hospital by her grandfather, sources say

An infant who died in a crash involving a private ambulance early Sunday morning was being driven to the hospital by her grandfather, who had jumped behind the wheel of the emergency vehicle parked at the family’s home after the baby became unresponsive, sources said.

The grandfather was trying to rush the baby and her mother to a hospital shortly around 5:15 a.m. after the child was found in distress inside their Frankford house, according to two law enforcement sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation.

But police say the 51-year-old man had been drinking — and did not turn on the ambulance’s lights or sirens before he sped through a red light at the intersection of Torresdale and Harbison Avenues and collided with a sedan.

The mother and baby, who the sources said were not restrained, were ejected through the windshield of the ambulance, police said.

The child, identified by police as Marian Harris, died at an area hospital a short time later. Her mother sustained severe head trauma and was listed in critical condition, police said.

It was not immediately clear why the ambulance, owned by Ambulance Express, Inc., or Medstar EMS, was parked at the family’s house, or whether the grandfather worked for the company or had experience driving emergency vehicles.

Police said Sunday the man, whose name has not been released, would be charged with driving under the influence and related crimes. On Monday, he had not been charged with any crimes as prosecutors and police continued to sift through the facts of the case, said Marisa Palmer, spokesperson for the District Attorney’s Office.

District Attorney Larry Krasner said in a statement Sunday that the forensic and investigative processes would likely take time, but “we are committed to a fair, appropriate and just outcome.”

This is a developing story and will be updated.