Annabelle Mullican

Annabelle Mullican, a bright and beloved 10-year-old girl from Mountain Brook, Alabama, is remembered for her intelligence, creativity, and humor. A student at Crestline Elementary School, her impact on the community was so profound that an award was created in her name after her death to honor a student who exemplifies friendliness, charisma, and service to others. Her loss was described by the Mountain Brook Police Department as a devastating event that would be felt by her family, friends, and classmates for a long time to come.

The tragedy that took Annabelle's life unfolded on the sunny afternoon of Saturday, July 22, 2023. She was a passenger in a white Toyota Highlander driven by her mother, Sarah Kathleen Cumbest Mullican, an anesthesiologist. Annabelle’s 8-year-old sister, Callie, was also in the vehicle. At approximately 5:25 p.m., a Mountain Brook police officer observed the SUV traveling at a high rate of speed and swerving on Old Leeds Road. The officer clocked the vehicle at 47 mph in a 30-mph zone.

After the SUV turned onto Cherokee Road, nearly hitting another car, the officer activated the patrol vehicle's emergency lights and siren to initiate a traffic stop. Instead of pulling over, Mullican accelerated in an attempt to elude the officer. During the brief pursuit, a cup and another object were reportedly thrown from the driver's side window. The chase ended in seconds, at approximately 5:26 p.m., when the SUV left the roadway in the 3400 block of Cherokee Road, struck several trees, and overturned in a ditch. The entire incident was captured on the police car's dashcam.

First responders arrived at a scene of devastation. Annabelle, who had been in the backseat without a seatbelt, suffered a major head injury and was found unresponsive. She was rushed to Children's of Alabama hospital, but the trauma was too severe. Annabelle Mullican was pronounced dead at 6:20 p.m. Her mother and younger sister, who was properly restrained, sustained non-life-threatening injuries, including abrasions.

In the weeks following the fatal crash, the Mountain Brook Police Department conducted an extensive investigation. On September 6, 2023, detectives presented their findings to the Jefferson County District Attorney's Office, which resulted in the issuance of arrest warrants for Sarah Mullican. The charges were reckless manslaughter and felony attempting to elude. She turned herself in to the Jefferson County Jail on September 15 and was released just over an hour later after posting bond.

The case proceeded through the legal system, and in January 2024, a judge sent the case to a grand jury after Mullican waived her right to a preliminary hearing. The following month, a grand jury indicted her on the charges of reckless manslaughter and attempting to elude. On April 24, 2024, Sarah Mullican formally waived her arraignment and entered a plea of not guilty. The case has brought far-reaching consequences for Mullican, who has reportedly lost her medical practice and been divorced by her husband. As of April 2024, a trial date had not yet been set.