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Prosecutors: Child abandoned at scene of OUI crash was not the driver's son

CHELSEA, Mass. — A Revere woman police say crashed her car while driving under the influence and abandoned a child at the scene was taken into custody after her arraignment.

Cecilia Miranda, 37, of Revere, was arraigned at Chelsea District Court on Tuesday. Miranda is facing nine different charges, including two counts of child endangerment while driving drunk.

Authorities say Miranda was driving with two children, aged 6 and 10, on Sunday just after midnight when she rolled her car into a ditch off Route 16 in Revere near the Route 1 on-ramp.

In court, prosecutors said Miranda had "multiple cans of beer" in the car at the time of the crash and that she had been at a party in Everett taking shots, according to witnesses.

According to investigators, Miranda was able to escape with the 6-year-old who was in the car, leaving behind the 10-year-old. Miranda and the child were taken to Massachusetts General Hospital.

The 10-year-old boy who was reportedly left at the scene of the crash was rescued by another person and taken to the hospital.

Prosecutors said the 6-year-old was one of Miranda's three children, but the 10-year-old was not. They added she seemed "indifferent" when questioned about the welfare of the 10-year-old she left at the scene.

Both children sustained serious injuries in the crash, but are expected to survive. A witness to the crash drove the 10-year-old to Boston Children's due to the severity of his injuries.

Police later caught up with Miranda at MGH and placed her under arrest. Arresting officers noted Miranda had a slurred speech and couldn't stand straight.

According to the arrest report, troopers say "She was unable to explain why she left the second child at the scene, stating that she 'needed to be with her child and that my son was the only thing that mattered.'"

When the troopers asked why she didn't take both kids to the hospital "she shrugged and seemed indifferent to the welfare of the second child."

She was bailed and released, but is facing charges for operating under the influence of alcohol with serious bodily injury and negligent operation, two counts of child endangerment with driving under the influence, leaving the scene of a personal injury crash, reckless operation of a motor vehicle, abandoning a motor vehicle, marked lanes violation, not having a car seat for a child under 8 and open container of alcohol.

Both children are expected to be OK.

Miranda's bail was set at $7,500. If posted, she must surrender her license, passport, obtain an alcohol monitoring bracelet and comply with DCF orders.

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