JACKSON TOWNSHIP — Authorities have released new details in the tragic August 28, 2026 crash outside the NPGS grocery store on West County Line Road that left a 9‑month‑old boy dead and his mother and 5‑year‑old sister hospitalized. Investigators say the crash occurred after an unlicensed driver — knowingly permitted to operate the vehicle — struck the family in the parking lot.

Unlicensed Driver Behind the Wheel

According to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, Maria CobonGuzman, 20, of Trenton, was driving a Ford Fusion through the parking lot when she struck a mother pushing a baby carriage containing her two young children. Investigators later confirmed CobonGuzman had never possessed a valid driver’s license in any state. She now faces charges including manslaughter, assault by auto, and operating a motor vehicle without ever having been issued a license.

Ariadna Lazaro‑Flores Charged for Allowing Unlicensed Driver to Operate Vehicle

Ariadna Lazaro-Flores, 22, of Toms River, was charged with knowingly engaging in conduct creating a substantial risk of death to another

Authorities say Ariadna Lazaro‑Flores, 22, of Toms River, owned the vehicle and knowingly allowed CobonGuzman to drive despite being fully aware she had no license. Lazaro‑Flores has been charged with knowingly engaging in conduct creating a substantial risk of death to another — a charge stemming from her decision to permit CobonGuzman to operate the vehicle.

Victims and Aftermath

The mother and her 5‑year‑old daughter were transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, where they remain hospitalized in stable condition. Tragically, the 9‑month‑old boy was pronounced deceased shortly after arrival.

Maria CobonGuzman, 20, of Trenton, is accused of killing a 9-month-old baby after striking a mother pushing a stroller in a parking lot

Credit News12: Trenton women without driver’s license struck mother with baby carriage in grocery store parking lot, killing baby: Officials – 6abc Philadelphia

Both CobonGuzman and Lazaro‑Flores were taken into custody and are currently lodged in the Ocean County Jail pending detention hearings. Federal immigration detainers have also been placed on both women, according to updated jail records.

Investigation Continues

The incident remains under active investigation by multiple agencies, including the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit–Vehicular Homicide Squad, High Tech Crime Squad, Jackson Township Police Department, Lakewood Township Police Department, and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit.

Trenton women without driver’s license struck mother with baby carriage in grocery store parking lot, killing baby: Officials – 6abc Philadelphia