A Highland Park teen accused of impaired driving in a crash that killed a 5-year-old girl did not appear in court Tuesday because her lawyer says she's suffering from post traumatic stress syndrome.
Carly Rousso, 18, is charged with two counts of reckless homicide and four counts of aggravated driving under the influence after prosecutors say her Lexus jumped a curb on Labor Day last year, and plowed into a family walking on the sidewalk, killing Jaclyn Santos-Sacramento.
Rousso's attorney said in a Lake County courtroom Tuesday that her client wasn't able to show up for her pre-trial hearing because she was admitted to an in-patient facility on Chicago's West Side a couple of weeks ago. Rousso was first admitted to Highland Park Hospital for "post-traumatic stress and a variety of other issues," and then referred to the Chicago facility, according to her lawyer.
The judge admonished Rousso's lawyer for not informing the court of the situation beforehand, but didn't take punitive action because the prosecution didn't object.
Police say toxicology tests turned up difluoroethane in Rousso's system at the time of the crash, an ingredient commonly found in cleaning air cans -- one of which authorities say was found in her car following the accident.
Rousso, who remains free on a $500,000 bond, settled a civil suit last month filed by the victim's family for an undisclosed amount of money.
Another pre-trial hearing was set for Aug. 29, and the trial is scheduled to begin Sept. 27.
