The family of Ariel Young, the 5-year-old girl who was injured in a car accident last month involving former Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid, believes she has permanent brain damage. Tom Porto, the family attorney, appeared on Good Morning America Tuesday and talked about Ariel’s condition. He said Ariel has awakened from her coma but still has a long road ahead of her when it comes to her recovery.
“She’s awake, which is a huge development,” Porto said. “Likely, she has permanent brain damage that she will endure for the rest of her life. She’s not walking. It’s a sad, sad, sad story.” Reid, who is the son of Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, hit a car that belonged to Ariel’s family. Her mom, aunt and 4-year-old cousin were in the vehicle and suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Reid also hit another car pulled over on the side of the highway as it ran out of gas. The driver of the first car Reid hit and the two adults in the second car suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
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It was reported that Reid was going highway speeds when he hit the two vehicles. An officer on the scene reported “a moderate odor of alcoholic beverages emanating from [Reid].” Reid told officers he had “2-3 drinks” and was on prescription drug Adderall.
“We’re going to be advocating for the most serious charges and the most serious sentence that Britt could ever receive,” Porto said. “We don’t have the toxicology back; I don’t know what it is going to be. What I do know are the statements that he made to the police that night. If you have two or three drinks, and then you get behind the wheel of a car, you are likely over the legal limit.”
The crash occurred a few days before the Super Bowl. The Chiefs were facing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the big game, and Reid didn’t travel with the team. He was placed on administrative leave, and the Chiefs then said he was no longer on the team as his contract has expired.
“My heart goes out to that young lady, I’m also a dad, so I get that. So I have concerns obviously on both sides,” Andy Reid said after the Chiefs 31-9 loss to the Buccaneers in the Super Bowl. “Britt did have surgery, but he’s doing better now, but that little girl, my heart goes out to her.”
