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Thaniyyah Veney, 33, pleaded guilty in December 2023 to aggravated assault while armed with a vehicle in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia following a July incident that left the child pinned under her vehicle, requiring a bold save by first responders while she simply walked away while under the influence.
On Friday, Veney was sentenced to 96 months in prison.
Prosecutors say that on the afternoon of Saturday, July 8, 2023, the girl was with her father in the 3200 block of Fourth Street SE when Veney drove into them as they were standing on the sidewalk.
She drove over the child and continued on until her vehicle struck the front steps of a nearby home. Veney then got out of the car and walked to a nearby alley, leaving the 5-year-old trapped under her vehicle.
First responders rushed to the scene and crafted a makeshift lever when they got to the girl, and were able to raise the car enough to get her out. She then had to be airlifted to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.
The girl suffered a broken shoulder, hip, and a fractured skull, among other injuries.
Hours after running down the girl and her father, Veney was arrested and it was determined her blood alcohol concentration was above the legal limit.
She was initially charged with DUI, reckless driving, leaving after colliding, assault with a dangerous weapon, and aggravated assault.
In addition to her prison term, a judge also ordered that Veney serve five years of supervised release and pay $100 to the Superior Court’s Crime Victims Compensation Fund.
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