Mother causes fatal car accident of 9-year old son while driving under influence of drugs

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A 9-year-old boy was killed in a car crash near exit 42 of Southern State Parkway in the early morning of Thursday, Aug. 22, when his mother drove the wrong way while under the influence of drugs, causing a four-car collision.

Kerri A. Bedrick, 32, of Centerport, faces an array of charges, including criminal possession of a stimulant —methamphetamine—felony aggravated unlicensed operation, operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs, and aggravated DWI with a child-passenger younger than 16.

Bedrick was allegedly behind the wheel of a black 2022 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, traveling in the wrong direction on Southern State Parkway near exit 42 in Bay Shore around 2:15 a.m., resulting in a four-car collision. She was driving without a license at the time of the crash.

Her son Eli D. Henrys, also of Centerport, was seated in the rear seat of the vehicle.

Upon their arrival, New York State Troopers observed Bedrick standing outside of her vehicle and they located her son in the back seat with a seat belt fastened. Troopers and the sheriff’s deputies performed CPR on the child, trying to save the 9-year-old boy’s life. Tragically, Henrys later succumbed to his injuries.

Bedrick is no stranger to the court system; within the past year, she has been arrested nine times and charged with 56 driving-related charges, including 12 counts of failure to return a license/registration/plates, eight counts of operating an unregistered vehicle, and five counts of aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle.

Numerous units of the New York State Police (NYSP) responded to assist with this investigation, which included the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU), Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) Unit, along with NYSP command staff from uniform and BCI. Brentwood Fire Department, Brentwood Ambulance Service and Exchange Ambulance Service responded to transport the victims.

Operators of the other involved vehicles include Haydee Meyer, 29, of Center Moriches; David C. Picard, 24, of Brentwood; and John Rotondi, 64, of Brooklyn. Meyer, Picard, and Bedrick were transported to Good Samaritan Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, while Rotondi was uninjured.

Bedrick was held overnight before her arraignment on Friday, Aug. 23 in Suffolk County 1st District Court at 9 a.m. Bedrick pleaded not guilty during her arraignment and her bail was set at $1 million cash.

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