A Florida mother whose 5-year-old son perished in a single-vehicle rollover early Wednesday morning broke her silence Friday, labeling the incident involving the boy’s own grandmother as “the most traumatic and devastating scenario” she could ever imagine.

Speaking exclusively to The Tampa Bay Times outside her modest rental home in Riverview, 28-year-old Kayla Morrison fought back tears while clutching a framed photo of her son, Braylen. “No parent should ever have to bury their baby because of a choice someone else made,” she said. “Especially not when that someone is family.”

Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office records show that Braylen’s maternal grandmother, 52-year-old Denise Hargrove, was driving a 2018 Ford Explorer eastbound on Boyette Road around 1:15 a.m. when the SUV veered off the pavement, struck a concrete culvert, and flipped multiple times. Braylen, who was riding unrestrained in the second-row captain’s chair, was partially ejected and pronounced dead at the scene. Hargrove, the sole adult occupant, suffered minor scratches and was taken into custody after deputies detected a strong odor of alcohol on her breath.

Field sobriety tests administered at the crash site allegedly showed Hargrove, a longtime bartender at a local sports pub, with a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.19 – more than twice the legal limit. She now faces charges of DUI manslaughter, vehicular homicide, and child neglect resulting in great bodily harm. Bond was set at $250,000 during a first-appearance hearing Thursday; Hargrove remains in the Falkenburg Road Jail.

“I trusted her with my world,” Morrison told reporters, her voice cracking. “She picked him up for a ‘quick sleepover’ because I had an early shift at the hospital. I kissed him goodbye at 7 p.m. thinking I’d see him for pancakes in the morning.” Instead, Morrison received a 3:07 a.m. knock from two somber deputies bearing the news no mother ever wants to hear.

Neighbors described the normally quiet cul-de-sac erupting into chaos as first responders swarmed the intersection of Boyette and McMullen roads. “I heard tires screeching, then a loud boom,” said retiree Walter Jenkins, 71, who lives three doors down from the crash site. “By the time I got outside, the car was on its roof and the little boy… God, I can’t unsee it.”

Investigators recovered two open containers of hard seltzer from the center console and a half-empty bottle of vodka wedged beneath the passenger seat. Dash-cam footage from a nearby school bus, obtained by Fox 13, appears to show the Explorer drifting across the double-yellow line seconds before impact. Speed is not believed to have been a factor; the posted limit is 45 mph.

Hargrove’s public defender, Assistant Public Defender Maria Lopez, declined to comment on the evidence but stressed that her client is “absolutely devastated” and cooperating fully. “Ms. Hargrove loved that child like her own,” Lopez said outside the courthouse. “This is a tragedy for the entire family.”

Court documents reveal Hargrove has two prior DUI convictions – one in 2009 and another in 2014 – both resulting in probation and mandatory substance-abuse counseling. Her driver’s license was suspended at the time of Wednesday’s crash, though deputies say she was operating the vehicle registered in her name regardless.

Morrison, a certified nursing assistant at Brandon Regional Hospital, has launched a GoFundMe to cover funeral expenses and counseling for Braylen’s four older siblings, ages 7, 9, 11, and 13. As of press time, the campaign has raised $42,000 toward a $60,000 goal, with donations pouring in from across the state.

“He was supposed to start kindergarten in August,” Morrison said, pointing to a tiny backpack still hanging on a hook by the front door. “He picked out Spider-Man everything. Now that backpack will never leave for school.”

Child Protective Services has opened a parallel investigation into household safety protocols, though no other children were in the vehicle at the time of the crash. Morrison insists she had no knowledge of Hargrove’s alleged relapse. “She swore she was sober,” Morrison said. “She went to meetings, had a sponsor. I believed her because she’s my mom.”

Community reaction has been swift and visceral. A makeshift memorial of stuffed animals, balloons, and battery-powered candles now blankets the crash site. Local mothers organized a Friday evening candlelight vigil that drew nearly 200 attendees, many clutching signs reading “Hugs Not Hubs” and “Choose Sobriety.”

Pastor Mike Reynolds of Riverview First Baptist, where Braylen attended preschool, delivered a brief eulogy. “This little light shone so brightly in just five short years,” he said. “We pray for justice, but more than that, we pray for healing.”

State Attorney Suzy Lopez confirmed her office will seek the maximum penalty if Hargrove is convicted. Under Florida law, DUI manslaughter carries a mandatory minimum of four years and up to 15 years in prison, with sentencing enhancements possible due to the prior convictions and the presence of a minor.

Hargrove is scheduled for arraignment on December 12. Meanwhile, Morrison says she is focusing on her surviving children. “They keep asking when Braylen is coming home from heaven,” she whispered. “I don’t have an answer yet.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that alcohol-impaired driving fatalities involving children under 14 have risen 12% nationwide since 2020. Florida ranks third in the nation for such incidents, behind only California and Texas.

As the sun set over the quiet suburb Friday, Morrison placed a single red rose atop the growing memorial. “I just want the world to remember his giggle,” she said. “That’s what I’m holding onto.”