A 6-year-old Queens girl — hit by an alleged drunken driver last month while running for an ice-cream truck — has died, and her devastated mother is now suing the motorist.
Tragic little Zhaneya Butcher was outside her grandfather’s house near 104th Avenue and 168th Place in South Jamaica on June 28 when she started chasing the ice-cream truck and was struck by a 1999, dark blue, Mitsubishi Montero driven by Kent Lowrie, according to the criminal complaint.
Zhaneya suffered severe trauma to the head and brain in the horrific accident and died July 7, her family said.
Meanwhile, Lowrie was busted for DUI and charged with vehicular assault, although the rap is expected to be upgraded to vehicular manslaughter since Zhaneya died, authorities said. Lowrie is currently held on $25,000 bond.
Zhaneya’s mother, Cherell Smith, this week filed a lawsuit in Queens Supreme Court suing the owner of the car, Valerie Bridges, and Lowrie for the wrongful death of her daughter. The lawsuit is seeking an unspecified amount.