Baby Thrown From Cab Crash Leads to Charges for Parents

The parents of a then-14-month old baby who was ejected from a taxi cab in Hackettstown in April when it was crashed into by another car have been charged with a violation of law intended to protect public safety, according to Warren County Prosecutor Richard Burke.

They, and the cab driver, who was also charged, could face up to 18 months in state prison if convicted.

Police found that the baby was allegedly not being restrained in the cab at the time of the crash on April 1. The baby, who suffered a head injury, and her parents, Miguel Miranda, 46, and Zeida Bonilla, 26, both of Hackettstown, were hospitalized for months following the crash.

The crash happened when 63-year-old Mary Canavan, of Hackettstown, was driving north on Lafayette Street in a 1999 Toyota and allegedly drove through a stop sign and struck the cab going west on Franklin Street. The cab, a 2005 Ford, was being driven by 41-year-old Miguel Caceres, of Hackettstown, the third person charged in the crime according to Burke.

The impact of the crash pushed the cab into a telephone pole, trapping Bonilla, Miranda and Caceres inside, the baby being ejected from the back of the car. Bonilla and Miranda suffered hip injuries and were transported by ambulance to Morristown Medical Center. The baby was flown by helicopter to Morristown Medical Center. 

Canavan was issued a summons for careless driving, but the Hackettstown Police Department Detective Bureau and Warren County Prosecutor's Office continued their investigation to determine whether charges would be brought against Caceres, Miranda and Bonilla.

On Tuesday, Burke announced that each of them had their first appearances in court and were released in their own recognizance. All three are scheduled to re-appear in court on Oct. 24.