Police Officer Killed in Crash Just Days After Returning From Maternity Leave

A North Carolina police officer was killed while responding to a traffic accident just days after returning from maternity leave.

Officer Mia Goodwin, 33, died when a tractor-trailer hit a truck cab that in turn collided with several Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) cars early on Wednesday morning.

In a news briefing later that day, CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings confirmed that officer Goodwin had died while on duty and that several other police staff had been injured.

He told reporters: "Today the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department is hurting, we mourn the loss of police officer Mia Goodwin and the profession hurts, our city hurts. Most importantly, we need to be uplifted and uplifting each other in prayer."

Chief Jennings later added: "Officers were dispatched along with state highway patrol to investigate a collision that had occurred with a tractor-trailer truck. Officers on the scene, for quite some time.

"Officers that reported in for a third shift were then sent to relieve officers who had already been on that scene. One of those being officer Mia Goodwin. At about 3:40 a.m. this morning, two tractor-trailers who were traveling on the I85 collided with each other.

"That collision then caused their vehicles to then run into the officers who were working on the scene. The crash that happened, we had an officer who had been hit while she was in her vehicle. Called it in and began assessing the injuries and the officers that were hurt out on the scene, including herself."

He revealed several officers were injured in the crash and were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. Officer Goodwin was pronounced dead at the scene.

In a tribute to officer Goodwin, Chief Jennings said: "She was a loving mother to her three kids, a 3-year old, a 1-year-old and a 4-month-old. Officer Goodwin had just returned from maternity leave just a few days prior to this incident.

"She is also survived by her loving husband Brenton who is a firefighter with the Charlotte Fire Department."

In a Facebook post shared earlier this week, a spokesperson for the Charlotte Fire Department said: "Our hearts are broken this morning as we learned of the tragic passing of CMPD Officer Mia Goodwin. Although your watch has ended, your good deeds, warm smile and engaging personality will live on."

A GoFundMe page was set up following officer Goodwin's death, with donations going toward assisting her children and husband.

As of Thursday morning, the GoFundMe page had managed to raise more than $53,670 out of a target $100,000.