Northern Ireland

Newtownabbey teen in US scooter crash out of hospital and 'on the mend'

Karmen Curley from Newtownabbey pictured in intensive care in the US after she suffered multiple injuries in a scooter crash while on holiday in Los Angeles
Karmen Curley from Newtownabbey pictured in intensive care in the US after she suffered multiple injuries in a scooter crash while on holiday in Los Angeles Karmen Curley from Newtownabbey pictured in intensive care in the US after she suffered multiple injuries in a scooter crash while on holiday in Los Angeles

A TEENAGE girl from Belfast who was left in intensive care in the US following a scooter crash while on holiday was yesterday out of hospital and said to be "on the mend".

Karmen Curley (18), who is from Newtownabbey, had travelled to Southern Connecticut State University last month to visit her older sister Sian, who is a student there.

The sisters and three other friends were on a trip of California and stopped off in Los Angeles to hire electric scooters when tragedy struck.

Sian said her sister was "riding up ahead when we saw her hit a pot hole and come flying off over the front of her scooter".

"Karmen was lying unconscious and was losing serious amounts of blood," she said on social media.

"An ambulance was called to the scene and Karmen was taken to the local hospital where she lay unconscious for around eight-plus hours".

Sian said scans revealed that her sister had bleeding on the brain and had also suffered a number of facial injuries.

As the former Hazelwood Integrated College student did not have travel insurance, the family launched an online appeal to raise the funds needed to pay Karmen's mounting medical bills, which at that stage, stood at $80,000.

As of last night more than $7,300 had been raised of a $150,000 target.

It was revealed yesterday that despite the countless injuries suffered by the teenager, she had been released from hospital.

Posting a photo of her injured sibling and herself on social media, Sian described her younger sister as a "one winged warrior" who was "out of hospital & hopefully on the mend, with the all clear to fly".

"How amazing does she look even with numerous broken bones and of course she has already ditched the splint for her hand; defo taking after our mum in that matter," she said.

"Doctors have confirmed she can have the rest of her treatment/surgery back home. Thank you to everyone who has kept Karmen in their prayers throughout this horrific time, also thank you to everyone who has donated and shared the go fund me page to help us pay off Karmen's medical bills."