A young father-to-be from Florida regained consciousness after a serious car crash — just long enough to make a statement to the police.
He then sadly passed away, leaving investigators to look into the claims that he made against his pregnant girlfriend, per the New York Post.
Crash Follows Super Bowl Night Argument on Florida Highway
Daniel Waterman, a 22-year-old originally from the Syracuse area in New York, had been riding in the passenger seat while his girlfriend, 24-year-old Leigha Mumby, was behind the wheel.
The couple were driving along Interstate 95 in Flagler County, Florida, on Super Bowl Sunday this past February when tensions reportedly erupted into a fight.
According to court documents, Waterman later told authorities that the argument turned especially dark when Mumby allegedly said: “I don’t care what happens. You’ll get what you deserve,” moments before allegedly crashing the car into a tree.
Both sustained serious injuries in the wreck.
Waterman was left in a coma, while Mumby — who was pregnant at the time — also suffered injuries but survived. Her unborn baby made it through the crash and has since been born.
Whiteboard Confession Leads to Criminal Charges
Waterman’s mother, Heather Waterman, told syracuse.com that her son initially went into a coma after the accident but eventually regained enough consciousness in May to communicate using a whiteboard.
It was then, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by People, that he implicated Mumby in the crash.
The couple had reportedly started arguing after Mumby discovered she was pregnant and Waterman received a text message from a woman back in New York.
Heather Waterman said the message was harmless — just a Super Bowl-related exchange with a friend who supported the Philadelphia Eagles, while her son rooted for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Driver Claims She Doesn’t Remember the Crash
Court records allege that Mumby began driving erratically after the argument and ultimately slammed the vehicle into a tree. However, Mumby reportedly told investigators that she doesn’t recall what caused the crash.
Despite her initial charges of reckless driving causing serious bodily injury and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon in July, the legal stakes escalated after Waterman’s condition worsened.
After being transferred from Florida to Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse to continue his recovery, he died on October 8 from pneumonia, according to syracuse.com.
Following his death, Mumby was charged with vehicular homicide, People reported, citing law enforcement.
Family Fights for Custody of the Child
Now, Waterman’s family is focused on gaining custody of the child they believe to be his. Heather Waterman said they plan to prove paternity and bring the baby to New York.
“We’ll do whatever we can do to bring her to us,” she told syracuse.com. “He wanted her raised in New York with his family.”
Though his health battles ultimately proved too much, Heather remembered her son’s resilience in his final months.
“He never gave up,” she said. “This whole entire time, he literally never gave up.”
