Grandmother found guilty after grandson falls from moving car, dies on I-97

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, Md. (WBFF) — A grandmother was found guilty of neglect in connection with the death of her 7-year-old grandson after he fell from her car while she was driving on I-97 in Millersville, according to the Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Officials said Lorraine Marie O’Neill, 68, of Hagerstown, was found guilty after a four-day trial in circuit court for the neglect of a minor and faces a maximum penalty of five years’ incarceration and/or a $5,000 fine.

The incident occurred on the evening of November 2024, when O’Neill was driving northbound on I-97 in Millersville with her 7-year-old grandson riding in a car seat on the rear passenger side of the vehicle, authorities said.

While O’Neill was driving near I-97 and Benfield Boulevard, the child fell out of the car’s rear passenger window and landed in the roadway, where he was struck by an approaching vehicle.

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Maryland State Police troopers were dispatched at around 7:00 p.m. for a report of a pedestrian lying on the roadway on I-97 near Benfield Boulevard.

The child was pronounced deceased at the scene by Arundel County Fire and EMS responders.

Officials reported that O’Neill informed police she noticed the child was missing from his car seat while driving on I-695 near Route 2, and she pulled over at the nearest gas station.

According to the report, the distance between where the child fell from the vehicle and where she stopped was approximately 11 miles.

O’Neill also informed police she allowed the child to play with the car’s rear power window and that the window’s child lock was not activated at the time of the incident, officials reported.

“This case is a tragic reminder that adults must remain vigilant when children are in their care. While this was undoubtedly a traumatic loss for this grandmother, it was likewise traumatic for the witnesses at the scene that night, including the first responders and the two men who pulled the child from the roadway.” State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess said in a press release. “This defendant traveled eleven miles north on I-97 after the child fell from the vehicle before she realized her grandson was not inside the car. I believe that Ms. O’Neill has failed to accept responsibility for her actions, from the night of the crash to her testimony at trial, which was markedly different from her original statements to investigators. This case has always been about accountability for the death of a child.”

O’Neill’s sentencing is scheduled for October 2, 2026.