Belinda Mercado Laughlin died Thanksgiving Day
TEANECK-- The woman who was killed in a Thanksgiving Day crash was on her way to celebrate the holiday with family before reporting for a nursing shift, a family member told WCBS 2 News.
Belinda Mercado Laughlin, 45, died following a two-car collision at Degraw Avenue and Queen Anne Road shortly before 4 p.m. Two people in the other car suffered non-life threatening injuries.
Criminal behavior was not believed to be a factor in the crash, police have said.
An aunt, Jeanette Caraballo, said her niece was killed just a block from Carballo's home, where she was planning to celebrate the holiday.
Caraballo also said Mercado Laughlin worked as a labor and delivery nurse at Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck.
"She was going to stay with me, have dinner, and then go and deliver babies because that's what she did," Caraballo told the station. "She was full of life, full of joy."
Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@PaulMilo2. Find NJ.com on Facebook.