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A British ‘drunk driver’ accused of killing a four-month-old baby in a horror crash was smuggled into court for her first appearance before a judge on the island of Lanzarote.

Olivia Brown, 23, was taken in through a back entrance to be quizzed about the fatal accident in the resort of Playa Blanca, which saw six injured including the baby’s parents and maternal grandparents.

The ex-pat has been under house arrest since her ‘out of control’ car slammed into the British family as they were walking near their holiday villa. A Swedish mum and daughter, who had only been on the island three hours, were also injured.

Police have said Brown was over the 0.25mg legal limit for driving. She had also tested positive for drugs, but it is not known if this was over the legal limit.

Brown will be charged with manslaughter and could be jailed for up to 25 years, according to local police.

The driver has been named as 23-year-old Olivia Brown, with officials saying she tested positive for both drink and drugs at the scene

The driver has been named as 23-year-old Olivia Brown, with officials saying she tested positive for both drink and drugs at the scene

Olivia Brown was ushered into Edifcio Judicial Arrecife de Lanzarote through the back door in a police van

Olivia Brown was ushered into Edifcio Judicial Arrecife de Lanzarote through the back door in a police van

Shocking images of the scene showed police and paramedics working desperately on the stricken pedestrians in the aftermath of the crash

Shocking images of the scene showed police and paramedics working desperately on the stricken pedestrians in the aftermath of the crash

Under Spanish law her court appearance is in a closed hearing where she will be asked questions about the incident.

She will have been appointed a lawyer to represent her during the hearing and is likely to be given bail and allowed to return home while still under house arrest.

Brown appeared before an examining judge in court No 1 at the modern courthouse in the island’s capital of Arrecife.

Police sources said Brown was brought into the court via back entrance to avoid waiting media outside the entrance.

A police van was seen driving down a side entrance and going into an underground car park.

Unlike the British court system media do not have access to the courts and cannot attend the hearings.

Brown is understood to have been offered counselling following the crash on Monday evening when the four month old girl was killed instantly.

Eye witnesses described hearing piercing screams and watched as the mother attempted to revive her baby while others attended to the injured.

The newborn’s father was critically injured, and the maternal grandmother also suffered serious injuries and they remain in intensive care.

The family’s name and where they are from the UK has not been released by local authorities.

Police sources said Brown was brought into the court via back entrance to avoid waiting media outside the entrance

Police sources said Brown was brought into the court via back entrance to avoid waiting media outside the entrance

Ms Brown is currently under house arrest and could be jailed for causing the death of the new-born baby

Ms Brown is currently under house arrest and could be jailed for causing the death of the new-born baby 

The maternal grandfather and mother were also injured, but did not suffer life changing injuries. They remain in hospital.

A 34-year-old Swedish woman was also seriously injured and suffered three heart attacks while in hospital.

She is still listed in a critical condition having been flown to Gran Canaria for specialist treartment. Her daughter remains in Lanzarote at a hospital in Arrecife.

A witness to the accident, a man in his 40s, was at the courthouse waiting to be called to give his statement before the examining judge.

Yaiza Municipal police chief Vladamir Guadalupe was also at the court, but refused to make any comment as he left.

It comes as the paternal grandparents of the baby killed arrived on the island on Wednesday afternoon and went straight to the Doctor Molina Orosa Hospital hospital to see those injured.

A well-placed source said: ‘The father and maternal grandmother remain in intensive care but will both pull through. Their lives are not in danger.

‘The other two British nationals, the baby’s mum and maternal grandfather, are also still in hospital but are on a ward.

A moment of silence was held in the centre of Yaiza on Wednesday outside the Mayors office, where locals turned up to show their respect

A moment of silence was held in the centre of Yaiza on Wednesday outside the Mayors office, where locals turned up to show their respect

‘They were all aware the little girl, who was four-and-a-half months old, had died from the first moment despite their injuries and they’re obviously absolutely devastated.’

Another source said: ‘The baby’s paternal grandparents arrived in Lanzarote yesterday afternoon and headed straight to the hospital.’

The female driver, who went to school in Lanzarote after moving to the island as a child, has been under house arrest.

Yaiza Town Hall, which covers Playa Blanca in the south of Lanzarote where the accident occurred, said in a statement afterwards she ‘showed signs of being under the influence of alcohol and drugs.’

Police on the island told MailOnline that they believe Brown was over the legal limit for alcohol when her ‘out of control’ car mounted the pavement and slammed into the family.

The other two people injured in Monday evening’s accident, also pedestrians, were a Swedish mother and daughter who had only just arrived in Lanzarote.

The younger of the two women, a 34-year-old was airlifted to a hospital on the neighbouring island of Gran Canaria.

Yaiza Municipal police chief Vladimir Guadalupe told MailOnline on Wednesday that the Swedish mother is in a critical condition. 

Yaiza Municipal police chief Vladimir Guadalupe (pictured) told MailOnline the Swedish mother is in a critical condition

Yaiza Municipal police chief Vladimir Guadalupe (pictured) told MailOnline the Swedish mother is in a critical condition

He said her heart and stopped three times and she had to be resuscitated.

The pair had only been in Lanzarote for three hours and were walking back to their hotel when they were struck.

The driver told police at the scene the steering on her car had blocked. 

A source close to the ongoing investigation said of Brown: ‘She has locked herself in her house and switched her phone off.

‘Like the crash victims, she has also been offered professional help to assist her in dealing with the enormity of what has happened.’

Brown lives on the island with her parents and is understood to work at a hotel in the resort of Playa Blanca where the accident took place. 

Her social media shows scenes of sunset on the island, posing in front of palm trees and with her mother.

The identity of the British family involved in the horrific accident has not been revealed. They were due to leave the island on Sunday, according to police.

Police chief Guadalupe said: ‘The investigation is still on going and could be another week. The driver will appear in court but I cannot say yet what the charges will be. 

‘The legal limit for alcohol is 0.25 and this person was over that limit and the charge will reflect that.’

The death of the newborn has shocked the island – a popular winter sun destination with British tourists – and the Mayor Osca Noda declared two days of mourning with flags to fly at half mast.

More than 30 people led by the Mayor and including emergency service workers who were first on the scene took part in a solemn one minute silence outside the town hall.

Mayor Noda said the death of the baby has had a huge impact on local residents.

‘We are full of sorrow over such a tragic accident. This is something that has not happened here, and people are very shocked,’ he said.

Mayor Oscar Noda (pictured) said the death of the baby has had a huge impact on local residents

Mayor Oscar Noda (pictured) said the death of the baby has had a huge impact on local residents

‘We are doing all we can to support the family who are still in hospital.

Adil De Toro, a local doctor on the island was among the town hall staff who took part in the one-minute silence.

He described how in the aftermath of the incident he and others rushed to the scene to offer any assistance they could.

He said: ‘The government has called this meeting to make a point about how rare and sad this event is.

‘These things never happen here. It has affected the opinion of the island. The police have to investigate exactly what happened whilst she is under house arrest.

‘I ran to the scene after it happened to see if they needed assistance. There was a team of ambulances working around all the injured. It was horrible.’

Hotel director Miguel Angel Sordo told how he ran from the HL Rio Playa Blanca hotel when he heard piercing screams from passers-by who had witnessed the tragedy.

A five-month baby was killed and several others injured after being mowed down by a car which mounted the pavement in the Lanzarote tourist resort of Playa Blanca

A five-month baby was killed and several others injured after being mowed down by a car which mounted the pavement in the Lanzarote tourist resort of Playa Blanca

Emergency workers attend the scene of the crash

Emergency workers attend the scene of the crash

He said the mum of the baby was desperately trying to revive the baby boy.

He said: ‘The baby was lying on the floor and a blonde lady dressed in black was trying to revive him. The health workers arrived immediately and took care of the baby.

‘I offered to help them and some health workers asked me to keep the victims who were lying on the ground awake and to speak to them in English so that they would be conscious.

‘Then more paramedics arrived and, together with the rest, took charge of caring for all the injured.’

Emotions among locals was running high over the death crash.

Ambulances are seen outside of the hospital near Playa Blanca following the incident

Ambulances are seen outside of the hospital near Playa Blanca following the incident

One man, who preferred to stay anonymous, suggested the opinion of the island is that she be made an ‘example of’ if guilty.

He said: ‘The entire island is very upset and shaken by this incident, we want an example to be made.

‘The road where the terrible crash took place is very hard to have an accident on.

‘When you see the impact the vehicle had on the wall, it’s very clear she was moving at speed. If she was using drink and drugs while she was driving she should go to prison for this.’

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This post first appeared on Daily mail

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