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Toddler killed in high-speed crash as mum 'raced ex home'

A toddler has been killed in a high-speed crash after his mother allegedly hit speeds of 194km/h while street racing the child’s father.

One-year-old Royce Jones was thrown out of the car after Lauren Prescia’s vehicle crashed into a marquee near a shopping centre in Las Vegas on Sunday (local time).

Police allege Prescia was street racing the child’s father, Cameron Hubbard-Jones, for about 1.5km before the devastating crash.

Prescia's car was cut in half after it crashed just after 7pm on Sunday (local time). Source: Twitter/Las Vegas Fire Rescue
Prescia's car was cut in half after it crashed just after 7pm on Sunday (local time). Source: Twitter/Las Vegas Fire Rescue

Prescia, 23, was allegedly driving while intoxicated.

Police arrived at the scene shortly after 7pm to find the baby had died at the scene and Prescia’s vehicle cut in half because of the impact.

Dash cam vision from other cars and CCTV footage was used to confirm Prescia and Hubbard-Jones were racing, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.

Lauren Prescia has been hit with a number of charges including reckless driving and child abuse. Source: Las Vegan Police Department
Lauren Prescia has been hit with a number of charges including reckless driving and child abuse. Source: Las Vegan Police Department

According to the publication, Hubbard-Jones told police he was meeting Prescia to do a custody exchange and was on the phone to her at the time of the crash.

He alleges she told him she would beat him home, before she sped through an intersection with her child in the backseat.

“The extreme speeds and driving behaviours were indicative of a speed contest between the two parents of the deceased juvenile,” a police media release stated on Wednesday.

One-year-old Royce Jones was ejected from the car and pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. Source: Twitter/Las Vegas Fire Rescue
One-year-old Royce Jones was ejected from the car and pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. Source: Twitter/Las Vegas Fire Rescue

Hubbard-Jones was arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of reckless driving causing death.

Prescia was charged with child abuse, DUI resulting in death and reckless driving, and missed her court appearance on Thursday due to an unspecified medical issue.

A vigil for baby Royce was held on Thursday night (local time).

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