Out-of-control car skills boy, 12, injuries another

Car crashed into garage; GoFundMe set up by families.

A 12-year-old boy is dead and another is in critical con- dition after being hit by an out-of-control car while in a garage in Covington, their families said.

Cory Stevenson told Chan- nel 2 Action News that his son, Braden, died Monday after being hit by the car that smashed into the garage at Braden’s grandmother’s house.

“I’m thankful that God has given me 12 years with my son,” Cory Stevenson said. “I’m thankful that I have memories with him.”

Braden Stevenson and his best friend, Lucas McWil- liams, were looking for Braden’s missing hamster — which was an early Christmas gift from his grandmother — in the garage, according to GoFundMe pages set up by the families.

Braden Stevenson was on the phone with his father when he heard something no parent ever wants to hear.

“The next thing I know, it just sounded like a crash,” Cory Stevenson told Chan- nel 2. “I could hear everything on the phone. I was crying out for him, and he wasn’t answering.”

For an unknown reason, a car lost control on Kirkland Road and slammed into the garage, pinning Braden Stevenson against the wall and running over McWilliams, Channel 2 reported. Braden Stevenson died soon after at Piedmont Newton Hospital.

“You’re the father. You need to be there to do something but you can’t,” Cory Stevenson said, choking up. “Just to see the life of a vibrant 12-year-old so excited to be on Thanksgiving break ... and then all of a sudden out of nowhere a vehicle comes in.”

McWilliams was seri- ously injured and flown to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston, Channel 2 reported.

The GoFundMe page for McWilliams said both of his legs were crushed and he suffered severe vascular dam- age to his femoral artery. He’s already had “a plate (inserted) from his hip to his knee, pins in both knees, a halo to hold his tibia and femur together and 41 units worth of blood transfusions.” He’s scheduled to undergo more surgery on Thanks- giving.