A seven-car accident north of Gordonville six days ago claimed its youngest victim Wednesday.
One-year-old Whittney Roth died at Children's Hospital in St. Louis while her mother, Ruth Roth of Cape Girardeau, remained in intensive care at Southeast Missouri Hospital. Her other daughter, Brittany Roth, 3, was released from the hospital Saturday.
The driver of the van that hit the Roths' van head-on, Russell Jackson of Delta, was out of intensive care but remained in Southeast Missouri Hospital. He said three of his four limbs were fractured and that doctors told him he wouldn't walk for awhile.
The accident occurred at 7:20 a.m. Thursday on Highway 25 a mile north of Gordonville. Police said Jackson's van crossed the center line, side-swiped a large truck and a van before colliding head-on with Roth's van.
Minutes later, two cars and a pickup slowing down to avoid the wreckage ran into each other. No one was hospitalized as a result of the second accident.
A helicopter took Whittney to Southeast Missouri Hospital, and she was later transferred to St. Louis Children's Hospital.
Both girls were in car seats, according to the Missouri Highway Patrol.
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