Nadine Johnson
Jan. 8, 1925-June 17, 1926
Niles Daily Star, Thursday, June 17, 1926, page 1 col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library
BABY, 18 MONTHS OLD, KILLED BY SEDAN ON WALK
Nadine Johnson, the eighteen months old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. O.E. Johnson, 40 River street, was killed almost instantly this morning when she was accidently struck by an Oakland sedan driven by Harvey Andress, who lives near Niles on the Barron Lake road. The accident occurred at about 10:50 o'clock. Mr. Andress who had been delivering some packages at the house next door to the Johnson home was backing his car out of the driveway between the two houses. The little girl was playing with her seven year old sister on a sidewalk directly behind the moving car. Mr. Andress watched the older child until he saw she was out of the way and then proceeded down the drive. He did not see the baby and had no way of knowing that she was in his path, as as she made no outcry, did not know he had struck her until the car passed into the street.
When he saw the little body lying motionless on the pavement he immediately picked it up and carried it into the house. Medical aid was summoned but the child died before the doctors arrived. Death is attributed to a fractured skull. It is thought that the little girl was knocked down by the car and struck her head on the pavement, thus fracturing her skull, as there are no broken bones to indicate that the wheels of the car passed over the body.
Coroner Hardy Langston called a jury composed of Lou Goodsell, Frank Miller, Ed Power, Floyd Bush, Harold Hutton, Revel Fowler, who visited the scene of the tragedy, viewed the body and will meet at his office tomorrow morning at 9:00 o'clock to render a verdict.
The boday was taken to the Rutherford funeral home immediately but no definite arrangements have been made for the funeral.
The little girl was one of a family of eight children, all of whom were under nine years of age. Mr. Johnson is a car inspector for the Michigan Central, and had left for Chicago for the day shortly before the accident. A telegram was sent to Chicago to him, apprising him of the tragedy.