Two parents have been charged in connection with the tragic death of an 18-year-old girl following a deadly car crash in Atlanta, Georgia. Sophia Lekiachvili was critically injured when the car she was in crashed on Oak Grove Road in the early hours of the morning. She died hours later at Grady Memorial Hospital from her injuries.
The driver, 18-year-old Hannah Hackemeyer, was arrested shortly after the crash. She has been charged with failure to maintain lane, reckless driving, driving under the influence (underage 21), and vehicular homicide in the first degree.
In addition to Hackemeyer, the parents of another passenger, Ananya Rao, have also been indicted. Sumanth and Anindita Rao are accused of knowingly allowing underage drinking at their home and permitting the teens to go on a late-night drive. Police say the parents were present when the teens, including Lekiachvili, Hackemeyer, and Rao, were seen drinking wine, told Fox5atlanta.
The girls allegedly told the adults they were heading out for a drive at around 11:45 PM, leaving the house with a bottle of wine. District Attorney Sherry Boston described the Rao home as a “party house,” alleging that the parents regularly allowed underage drinking. As a result, the Raos are facing charges of involuntary manslaughter, reckless conduct, and maintaining a disorderly house.
The charges against the parents highlight a growing concern about the consequences of underage drinking, especially when it leads to fatal accidents. The case is particularly poignant given the recent tragedy in California, where three teenage athletes died in a fiery Tesla Cybertruck crash after reportedly driving at high speeds.
The three victims of the crash—Soren Dixon, Jack Nelson, and Krysta Tsukahara, all 19—died in the horrific incident around 3 AM in the affluent town of Piedmont. Another teen, Jordan Miller, 20, survived but was seriously burned and is currently in critical condition in ICU. His mother, Samantha Miller, remains hopeful about his recovery, stating, “We have reason to believe he will survive.”
Piedmont Police have indicated that speed was likely a factor in the crash, which involved the vehicle jumping the curb, hitting a concrete wall, striking a tree, and bursting into flames. Despite initial attempts by police to put out the fire, the local fire department managed to quickly control the blaze.