Child who survived crash dies

Published 4:00 pm Thursday, January 27, 2011

A rain-drenched memorial stands in the yard of the former Fultondale home of 6-month-old Monzerrat Perez, who died Thursday night. Perez survived a July car crash in Center Point that killed her parents. Her two siblings survived.

A Fultondale child who initially survived a car wreck in Center Point that killed her parents last July died Thursday night.

Six-month-old Monzerrat Perez and her two young siblings, ages 8 and 11, were in a car with their parents, Edgar Perez and Yasmine Aguilar, when Pinson resident Joseph Goolsby’s allegedly speeding vehicle struck the family’s vehicle, killing the parents. All three children survived the crash, until Monzerrat was pronounced dead at Children’s Hospital in Birmingham.

“She was in and out of the hospital all the time,” said Bill Bounds, the district manager for One Hundred Oaks Manufactured Home Community, where the family lives. “She’s really better off in heaven than here. She was suffering.”

Reports say Goolsby, 19, was traveling at high speeds when his vehicle hit Perez’s, knocking it nearly 200 feet. The crash killed Perez, 34, almost instantly. Aguilar, who was eight months pregnant with Monzerrat, and the other children were transported to local hospitals. Aguilar, 27, died shortly after an emergency procedure was performed to deliver the unborn Monzerrat.

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Deputies say Goolsby’s blood alcohol level was nearly twice the legal limit, and he was charged for murder for Perez’s and Aguilar’s deaths.

The three children have been cared for by their grandparents in One Hundred Oaks since the accident.

“It’s just sad,” he said. “I went and talked to them Saturday, and they’re taking it pretty rough.”

Bounds said Monzerrat had cracked ribs and bruises after the accident, and that she was having trouble breathing. He said the family has created a small memorial in their yard to remember Monzerrat by.

“My wife stopped and put a teddy bear on it,” he said.

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said it isn’t clear whether Monzerrat’s death was due to complications caused by the accident or not, or if Goolsby will be facing a third murder charge.

“No exact cause of death has been determined by the Coroner at this time,” said Deputy Chief Jim Roberson. “Once this is done Sheriff’s investigators will confer with the District Attorney’s Office depending on the results.” Roberson said the Sheriff’s Office should know more later in this week.

Goolsby was released from the Jefferson County Jail on August 16. His pretrial court date is Feb. 10 at 9 a.m.

Bounds said Monzerrat’s funeral is today, but he didn’t know a time or place.