A Lowndes County woman burned over 40 percent of her body Feb. 12 in a car fire succumbed to her injuries Friday.
Kimberly Watkins, 40, died around 4 p.m. Friday at Crossgates River Oaks Hospital in Brandon. She and her daughter, Taylor Watkins, 16, were severely burned in the early morning hours of Feb. 12 when the car they were traveling in ignited in flames from what they described as an explosion.
The women were traveling on Military Road when the car ignited and pulled off the road near a duplex at 4275 Military Road. The women escaped the car but the car and the duplex both burned.
The two women were transported to Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle before being transported to the inpatient burn center at Crossgates River Oaks. Taylor Watkins was reportedly released from the burn center Saturday.
Kim Watkins” autopsy was performed Saturday. Lowndes County Coroner Greg Merchant reported her preliminary cause of death as complications due to the burns.
Merchant is working in conjunction with the Lowndes County Sheriff”s Office to determine what caused the Watkins” car to catch fire.
“I looked at the car over the weekend and I plan to look at it again,” said Merchant. “The investigation is ongoing.”
Jason Browne was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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