Jennifer Young, Rice University Professor, Dies In Car Crash; Newborn Saved Then Passes

Pregnant Professor Hit By Car, Child Dies Next Day

Jennifer Young, a Rice University Math professor and pregnant mother, was hit and killed by a car as she crossed the street on Tuesday. Her baby, who was delivered successfully via C-section hours after her death, succumbed to injuries the following day and passed away, KVUE reports.

The 30-year-old post doctoral instructor was crossing the street near the Texas Medical Center in Houston when she was hit by an Acura MDX, police said.

Young, seven months pregnant, was rushed to Memorial Hermann Hospital but died shortly afterward, the Houston Chronicle reports. Her doctors performed an emergency surgery to save the baby, who survived for about a day afterward before succumbing to injuries incurred during the accident.

The newborn was named Samantha. It was Young and her husband's first child.

The driver of the Acura MDX was questioned at the scene and then released. The investigation is ongoing, according to KHOU.

Before Tuesday, Young's future appeared bright.

This fall, Young was scheduled to complete the final year of a presitigous fellowship in applied mathematics. She had accepted a tenure-track at another university and would have been awarded a full professorship in a year, the Chronicle reports.

"She had this love and belief that one could do it all," Rice Professor Steve Cox told the Chroncile. "With no complaints."

Matthias Heinkenschloss, the chair of the computational and applied mathematics department, said in a letter to the Rice University community that Young was deeply loved by students and had among the best teaching evaluations in department history.

"It seemed like the stars were perfectly aligned for her," Cox said. "It's just tragic."

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot