5 children not restrained by seatbelts hurt after North Carolina mother crashes into tree while speeding, warrant says

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Broken jaw, broken arm, liver laceration, and concussion are just a few of the injuries children in the care of Diamond Cannady sustained in a car crash Monday night.

Raleigh police arrested the 29-year-old Cannady after officers say she sped along the 1300 block of  Western Blvd driving 65 m.p.h. in a 35 m.p.h. speed zone crossed the median, and crashed into a tree outside Dix Park around 9:10 Monday night.

In a first appearance on Tuesday, a prosecutor said Cannady had five children in the car—a 10-year-old in the passenger seat and kids ages 3, 5, 6, and 9 in the backseat.

Warrants showed that no children were restrained to a car seat or wearing a seatbelt—and Cannady was not wearing a seat belt either.

Following the crash, Cannady has been charged with:

• Negligent child abuse resulting in serious bodily injury
• Negligent child abuse resulting in serious physical injury
• Speeding
• Driving while license revoked for an impaired driving charge
• Reckless driving that endangered people and/or property
• Failure to wear seatbelt – driver
• Multiple counts of failing to secure passenger under the age of 16

Cannady has a history of criminal charges, with 20 separate arrests documented in Wake County alone since March 2019. These photos, however, do not reflect convictions.

Appearing virtually in court Tuesday afternoon, Cannady made an emotional appeal to the judge for leniency so she could be with her daughter, who she said is going through multiple surgeries.

“Looks like I’m a bad person, but it’s not what it looks like,” Cannady said. She claimed that she had not missed a court date in the past two years and that every DWI charge was not legitimate.

“I have five kids I’m raising by myself,” Cannady added, again asking for mercy from the judge.

A district attorney prosecuting the case said Cannady has 90 charges pending against her right now, running the gamut from marijuana possession to DWI and hit-and-run. She said Cannady also has 13 charges of failing to appear in court.

The DA said to the judge that Cannady was “an extreme safety risk to the public and her kids”.

Talking specifically about the wreck, the DA said two children in the back seat, a 5 and 6-year-old who were closest to the doors, were seriously injured.

In summary, the DA reported the following on injuries:

• The 6-year-old suffered a broken arm, brain bleed, broken jaw and a laceration to the liver.
• The 5-year-old sustained injuries to the head, including a concussion and a laceration of the forehead.

“Again none of these children were in proper car seats or wearing seatbelts at the time of this collision,” the DA said. “Your honor, I think it’s really important to talk about the about the defendants record.”

The DA asked the judge for a bond of $1 million, while Cannady again pleaded for leniency and permission to be in the hospital to make decisions about her daughter’s care.

“I’m not asking for you to do anything you wouldn’t do for anybody,” Cannady told the judge. “All I’m asking is that you please grant me to let me go to Chapel Hill for her surgery.”

“I have given as much leniency as I can,” the judge said after issuing two separate bonds totaling $90,000.

The judge issued a $10,000 bond for the DWI charge and $80,000 for the felony child abuse charges. The judge also added a no-contact order between Cannady and her children.

Cannady’s next court date is scheduled for Oct. 15 at 2 p.m.

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