Nebraska Baby Only Survivor In Collision That Killed Parents

SIDNEY, NE — Brianna-Cate Johnson “knows something is wrong, but is too little to realize her mommy and daddy won’t be coming to hold her.”

That’s what David West said about the 18-month-old girl, who survived a car collision on Friday that took the lives of her mother and father. After being admitted to the hospital, Brianna-Cate cried for her parents and refused to eat, he said.

West started a GoFundMe campaign to help raise money for the girl’s medical care, legal bills and other living costs. It has raised more than $7,800 as of Wednesday, and any leftover money will be placed into a trust for the girl’s education.

“She’s a strong little girl, already having survived not only this tragedy, but an allergy reaction and trip to the ER when littler,” West wrote on the GoFundMe's page.

Brian Johnson, 51, and Catherine Johnson 24, were traveling on County Road 111 near County Road 23 last Friday afternoon in Sidney, Nebraska, when the couple's Honda CR-V collided with a tractor-trailer, according to The Sidney Sun-Telegraph.

The truck driver was crossing County Road 32 when Brian Johnson failed to stop at an intersection and collided into the truck, according to the paper. Emergency crew found the crying Brianna-Cate still in her car seat.

The girl suffered a broken leg and was flown to a hospital in Colorado for treatment, the paper reported.

Brianna-Cate has since been released into the care of her grandmother, but West said there’s been an issue of who has custody of her. Because she crossed state lines for her medical care, she is considered a ward of Colorado, he said.

Part of the GoFundMe money will be used to hire an attorney to help sort out Brianna-Cate’s custody issues.

“I had hoped it would not be needed,” West said. “But, since state lines were crossed for Brianna-Cate’s care, it looks to be necessary.”

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