Woman, child killed in Haywood Co. crash

HAYWOOD COUNTY, Tenn. — A family is in mourning after a Thursday morning wreck that took the lives of 32-year-old mother Chiquita King and one of her daughters, 10-year-old Maykayla King.

“Just devastated — I’m just still hurting,” family member Ida Bryant said.

According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the accident happened around 11 a.m. near the intersection of Highway 70 and Chestnut Grove Road. Family members of the victim say the Brownsville mother was most likely on her way home. Her two young daughters were in the back seat.

“A passenger car was driving west on 70 and attempted to make a left onto Briley Road, and it was struck by a dump truck,” THP Trooper Jason Page said.

The THP says when they arrived on scene at the intersection, the dump truck involved in the accident was overturned and on top of the other vehicle.

Bryant says King had just celebrated graduating from EKG school.

“She said she went back to school to be successful in life and take care of her family,” Bryant said.

Family members consider the little girl who survived the crash to be a miracle.

“She’s named after my mama,” Bryant said. “She’s just a precious angel. God was watching over her, and He saved her life.”

The driver of the dump truck was also uninjured.

Investigators say they are still determining who may have been at fault.