Family Of Child Who Died In Park Slope Crash Speaks

PARK SLOPE, NY — A mom whose daughter died in a Park Slope crash has been moved from the intensive care unit and her unborn child is unharmed, her family said Thursday.

The family of Ruthie Ann Blumenstein, a Broadway actress whose stage name is Ruthie Ann Miles, posted a message on her Twitter account Thursday morning thanking people for their support after a driver slammed into her and 4-year-old daughter Abigail Blumenstein. Abigail died in the crash.

The crash also killed Joshua Lew, 1, and injured Blumenstein's friend Lauren Lew.

"We are extremely grateful for your kindness and generosity," Blumenstein's family posted on Twitter. "Please continue to pray for the Lew and the Blumenstein families as we process the unthinkable and lay our grief in the loving arms of Jesus."

On Monday, driver Dorothy Bruns, 44, was stopped at a red-light at the intersection of Ninth Avenue and Fourth Street when she likely had a seizure, drove through the light and slammed into five pedestrians, according to police and a law enforcement source.

The children were taken to Methodist Hospital where they were pronounced dead, police said. Blumenstein, who won a Tony award in 2015, and her friend Lew were also taken to the hospital with non life-threatening injuries. A 46-year-old man was also hurt in the crash.

Bruns has not been charged with any crime, but Mayor Bill de Blasio said he wished she was arrested on Wednesday. Police said the crash was still under investigation.

"At this particular time, our [Crime Scene Investigation] and also the Brooklyn DA's office is conducting a joint investigation into the matter," NYPD Chief of Transportation Thomas Chan said on Wednesday.

Bruns' 2016 Volvo S60 had 12 violations issued to it in the past two years, including four for running a red light and four for speeding in a school zone, Chan said. All of them were issued to her license plate and officials can't determine if she was behind the wheel.

Her personal driving record was clear, a law enforcement source said. The NYPD suspended Bruns license after the crash.

The crash sparked protests in front of de Blasio's gym this week with residents calling for safety improvements on the dangerous intersection, where several pedestrians were injured and one killed in 2016.

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