A Missouri mother has been arrested in Texas in connection with a rollover crash that killed three of her children, authorities say.
Kaia Walls, 33, was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) on Oct. 22, nearly a month after the Sept. 25 crash on U.S. 61 near Matthews, Missouri, a small city about 150 miles south of St. Louis. Authorities say she fled the state after being treated for her injuries.
What happened
The crash occurred at about 9 p.m. Walls was driving an SUV with several other people inside. According to regional KFVS, the Missouri State Highway Patrol said Walls was trying to pass a pickup truck when she struck the back of it. Her SUV then went off the road and overturned multiple times.
Three of Walls’ children, a 9-year-old girl, a 10-year-old boy and a 13-year-old boy, reportedly died in the crash. Authorities did not release their identities. A 15-year-old boy and a 62-year-old woman who were also in the SUV were injured, as was Walls herself.
The pickup truck driver was apparently not hurt. Authorities said the 62-year-old woman was the only person in either vehicle wearing a seat belt.
Investigators allegedly determined that Walls was intoxicated at the time of the crash.
Arrest in Texas
After she was treated for her injuries, Walls allegedly left Missouri. The Missouri State Highway Patrol said investigators learned she was with her father in Killeen, Texas, about 700 miles from the crash site. They contacted USMS, which made the arrest.
Walls was booked into the Bell County Jail in Belton, Texas, and is set to be extradited to Missouri to face the charges against her.
Charges
Walls faces three counts of second-degree murder, first-degree assault, 13 counts of armed criminal action, three counts of DWI causing the death of a person, two counts of DWI causing serious physical injury and four counts of endangering the welfare of a child.
Marshals’ statement
U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Missouri Steven Lewis praised the investigation and the cooperation between agencies.
“I want to commend the Missouri State Highway Patrol on their investigation and allowing the Marshals to assist in this arrest,” said U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Missouri Steven Lewis. “Fugitives who actively evade capture or try to avoid responsibility for their crimes should know there is no place to hide. We will find you and bring you to justice.”
Walls has not yet been convicted, and the allegations against her have not been proven in court.