Danise Baird, the wife of Indiana Republican Congressman Jim Baird, has died following complications from injuries she sustained in a January hit-and-run accident, his office announced on Sunday.
Danise passed away weeks after the January 5 crash that left both her and the 80-year-old lawmaker injured while they were returning to Washington, DC.
Baird was discharged from hospital within 24 hours and was expected to make a full recovery. However, his wife suffered serious injuries.
In a statement, the congressman’s office said the couple had been married for 59 years, “building a life centered on faith, family, and service.”
It described Danise as “a devoted wife and loving mother of three” and said she would be “deeply missed. ”The couple’s son, Beau Baird, had earlier shared that his mother suffered nearly 15 breaks and fractures in the “serious hit-and-run accident. ” In a February update, he said she had taken her first assisted steps but acknowledged that “there’s still a road ahead. ” The exact complications that led to her death were not disclosed.
Following the crash, US President Donald Trump had said the couple were expected “to be okay” despite what he described as a “pretty bad accident.”
Baird, a US Army veteran who served during the Vietnam War, has represented Indiana’s 4th Congressional District since 2019. He previously served as a Putnam County commissioner and in the Indiana House of Representatives before being elected to Congress in 2018.
Leaders react, express grief
Lawmakers from both parties took to social media to offer condolences.
New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik called the news “incredibly sad,” noting that Danise was often by her husband’s side during his work in Congress.
Florida Rep. María Elvira Salazar said she was praying for the family, while Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna also expressed sympathy.
Minnesota Rep. Pete Stauber urged people to keep the Baird family in their prayers. Michigan Rep. Lisa McClain said she and her husband were praying for the family to find “comfort, strength, and peace.”
Indiana Governor Mike Braun said the state’s thoughts and prayers were with the congressman and his family, while Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita termed the development “absolutely horrible news.”
Democratic Rep. Andre Carson also expressed sorrow, saying he was praying for Baird and his family during the “incredibly difficult time.”
