Police said an unlicensed 18-year-old driver reversed into an outdoor dining area on Father’s Day.
BEACHWOOD, OH — A 3-year-old girl died after a vehicle struck her on a City Barbeque patio in Beachwood on Father’s Day, and police have charged 18-year-old Jasmine McFadden and her father, former Cleveland State basketball standout Kenneth “Mouse” McFadden.
The crash has drawn wide attention because it killed a young child during a family meal and because of Kenneth McFadden’s long history in Cleveland sports. Police said Jasmine McFadden, of Euclid, was driving without a license when the vehicle entered the outdoor dining area at the Pavilion Shopping Center. Kenneth McFadden, 61, also of Euclid, was a passenger, police said, and later was accused of giving officers a false account of who was behind the wheel.
The crash happened shortly after 1:30 p.m. June 21 outside City Barbeque at the shopping center. Beachwood police said Jasmine McFadden was driving through the parking lot when the vehicle left the roadway, crossed a curb, hit a fence and entered the restaurant’s outdoor dining area. The child, identified in court records as Margot Miller-Wilkins, was eating with family members when she was struck. She was taken to Cleveland Clinic Hillcrest Hospital, where she later died from her injuries. Beachwood Police Chief Daniel Grispino called it “a horrific event” and said the case has weighed heavily on the child’s family, witnesses, first responders and restaurant workers.
Court records cited by local reports say the vehicle, a 2015 Nissan Rogue, was moving in reverse when it went into the patio area. A 911 caller told a dispatcher the vehicle had hit a rail and that a person appeared to be hurt. When asked about the speed, the caller said the vehicle was in reverse and could not estimate how fast it was moving. Police said several patrons were struck or affected, but the child was the person who suffered fatal injuries. Investigators have not publicly released a full crash reconstruction, and police said they are still reviewing all factors that may have contributed to the crash.
Jasmine McFadden has been charged with aggravated vehicular homicide, a second-degree felony. Police said she had never possessed a driver’s license in Ohio or another state and did not have a learner’s permit. She appeared June 22 in Shaker Heights Municipal Court, where bond was set at $100,000, according to court records cited by local outlets. Her case was bound over to Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas. Attorney and plea information was not immediately clear in the available reports.
Kenneth McFadden was charged with obstructing official business and wrongful entrustment, both misdemeanors. Police said he initially told officers he was driving at the time of the crash. Grispino said investigators reviewed surveillance video and determined Kenneth McFadden exited from the passenger side of the vehicle after the crash. The wrongful entrustment charge is tied to the allegation that the vehicle was entrusted to an unlicensed driver. Kenneth McFadden was scheduled for arraignment in Shaker Heights Municipal Court, according to local court reporting.
City Barbeque said after the crash that it was heartbroken by the incident and offered condolences to the victim’s loved ones and others affected. The company said it was cooperating with local authorities and supporting employees and the community. The Beachwood restaurant was closed after the crash, and the company said it did not have a set reopening timeline. Police also said the crash affected firefighters, officers and others who responded to the scene. Grispino said peer support resources were brought in for first responders who handled the call.
Kenneth McFadden is best known in Cleveland as one of the leading players in Cleveland State basketball history. Nicknamed “Mouse,” he helped lead the Vikings during their 1986 NCAA tournament run, when Cleveland State reached the Sweet 16. He later became a member of the school’s athletics hall of fame and remained a well-known figure in local basketball circles. Police have not said that his sports history has any bearing on the crash investigation, but his name helped draw broader public attention to the case.
The investigation remains open as Beachwood police review evidence from the crash, including surveillance video, witness accounts and court filings. The next steps are expected to move through municipal and county court proceedings, with Jasmine McFadden facing the more serious felony count and Kenneth McFadden facing misdemeanor charges tied to the police response after the crash.
Author note: Last updated June 29, 2026.