Woman Critically Injured After Boys, 7 and 4, Crash Parents' Car

Kiara Bowling, a beauty queen and law student, is fighting for her life after being struck by a car driven by two young brothers, ages 7 and 4, who took their parents' vehicle while the family slept.

Bowling, 31, was walking a friend's emotional support dog around 9:15 a.m. Thursday near 35th and Mangels avenues in East Oakland when a white Toyota Camry sideswiped an oncoming vehicle before careening into her. Surveillance footage showed her stepping off the curb moments before the crash. A witness, Lavelle Shah-Marquis, described the scene. "It was loud," he said. "I pray that she's okay, but it was bad, it was bad."

Another witness described the eerie quiet in the moments after impact. "You didn't hear her scream," the witness told KRON4. "You didn't hear any of the kids make any noises. The only sound that you heard was the crash." The vehicle ultimately came to rest against a home on the corner after striking Bowling.

How the Boys Ended Up Behind the Wheel

According to Oakland police, the two brothers took their parents' Toyota while the adults were asleep and drove several blocks from their home before the crash occurred. A witness said one boy appeared to be working the steering wheel while the other operated the gas and brake pedals.

Both children were found outside the vehicle after the crash and were also injured. According to their uncle, Ali, the older boy suffered two broken legs, while the younger child sustained a concussion. Both are recovering in the hospital. "The older one was looking for his little brother," Ali said. "Asking about his little brother, 'Where's my little brother? Is he okay?'" He added that the boys' father was "still in shock" following the incident.

Bowling's Condition and Long Road Ahead

Bowling suffered multiple brain injuries, including brain bleeds, along with facial fractures, and is being treated at Highland Hospital in Oakland. Her sister, Christina Blackmon, described the severity of her condition. "She's currently still fighting extremely hard for her life," Blackmon said. "She is currently suffering from multiple brain bleeds and facial fractures. We're just hoping for a true speedy recovery."

As of this week, Bowling's family says she has begun responding to basic commands, a sign of improvement, though they caution she still faces a long and difficult recovery ahead, including multiple surgeries. Her family has started a fundraiser to help cover medical expenses, which had raised more than $31,000 toward her care as of this report.

Experts Say the Children Shouldn't Be Blamed

Despite the severity of Bowling's injuries, child development experts have pushed back on the idea that the young brothers bear responsibility for what happened. Dr. Shivani Chmura, a board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrist, explained why children this young can't be held accountable in any meaningful sense. "These kids are not capable, at this age, of understanding the consequences of what they did," Chmura said. "It's like they can see that they push the first domino, but they cannot see any of the other ones after that that would fall."

Chmura instead urged support and care for the children moving forward. "I would recommend counseling for them," she said. "Otherwise, they could end up with very lifelong symptoms of shame." She added, "My heart goes out to the whole situation. It's tragic."

Notably, Bowling's own family has echoed a similar sentiment, saying they hold no ill will toward the children involved. A legal expert has said the boys' parents could face both criminal and civil consequences depending on the outcome of the investigation, though no charges had been announced as of this report. Shah-Marquis, the witness, voiced a similar view. "I think these parents need to be held responsible, and that was my main concern, was these parents need to be held responsible," he told ABC7.

The investigation into the crash remains ongoing.

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