A pregnant South Carolina woman died eight days after a freak go-kart accident left her with devastating injuries, according to authorities and her family.
Baylee Johnson was 15 weeks pregnant when the accident happened on Aug. 23 in the Skinner Road area of Sumter County.
Sumter County Coroner Robbie Baker told local outlet WIS 10 that Johnson’s hair became caught in a sprocket on the go-kart, causing severe injuries.
She was rushed to McLeod Regional Medical Center in Florence, where she remained hospitalized for more than a week.
Johnson died on Aug. 31, surrounded by her family.
The tragedy came during what should have been an exciting new chapter in her life.
Johnson and her boyfriend, Justin Lowder, had recently learned they were expecting a baby boy. The couple had already chosen the name Johnny.
She had also recently landed what her family described as her dream job, working as a medical assistant at Prisma Health OB/GYN–Sumter.
In her obituary, loved ones remembered Johnson as caring, funny and full of life.
“Caring for others came naturally to Baylee — but so did making them laugh,” her family wrote.
They described her as “silly, spontaneous and completely carefree,” saying she loved to dance, sing loudly and make people smile without worrying about what anyone else thought.
“She did not simply walk into a room; she brought life into it,” the tribute said.
Johnson also enjoyed hunting, fishing, go-kart racing, reading her Bible and spending time with her family.
She was especially close to her dogs, Ruby and Roscoe, as well as her nieces and nephew.
Her family also wrote about how deeply she already loved her unborn son.
“Baylee loved Johnny deeply,” the obituary read. “She dreamed about him, talked about him, prayed for him and was already planning the life she wanted to give him.”
“From the moment she learned he was there, Baylee was his mama, and Johnny was completely and unconditionally loved.”
Johnson’s family thanked the community and the medical staff who cared for her during her final days.
