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Mom Was Drunk When SUV Carrying Nine Kids Rolled Over on I-57, Cops Say

By DNAinfo Staff on August 2, 2013 7:55am

 An SUV carrying nine children rolled over on Interstate 57 early Friday. (File Photo).
An SUV carrying nine children rolled over on Interstate 57 early Friday. (File Photo).
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DNAinfo/Devlin Brown

CHICAGO — A woman was charged with drunken driving after the SUV she was driving with 11 people inside — nine of them children — rolled over on Interstate 57 early Friday morning.

Tonica S. Conwell, 30, was driving south near 99th Street when her vehicle rolled over about 12:15 a.m., Illinois State Police said.

Nine children, ages 3 to 14, were inside the SUV at the time, along with Conwell and another adult. Some of them were thrown from the vehicle during the rollover. Police said Conwell was the mother of at least four of the children.

Everyone in the SUV was sent to area hospitals, fire officials said. One adult and one child were taken in critical condition to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn. Four others were taken to other area hospitals in serious-to-critical condition.

The five others were sent to area hospitals with minor injuries.

In addition to the charge of driving under the influence, Conwell was charged with nine counts of child endangerment and seven child restraint violations.