The unborn child of Broadway star Ruthie Ann Miles has died after the actress was hit by a driver who went through a red light in New York.

Miles was crossing a street in the city's Brooklyn Park Slope neighbourhood on 5 March when she and her four-year-old daughter Abigail were knocked down by Dorothy Burns.

Abigail was killed and her mother, whose real name is Ruthie Ann Blumenstein, was taken to hospital.

The 34-year-old was said to be in a stable condition and her unborn child "doing well" in the immediate aftermath, but she and husband Jonathan Blumenstein have now lost the baby girl they had been expecting this month.

Image: The car's driver is facing multiple charges

Family lawyer Ben Rubinowitz said the miscarriage had come as a direct result of the accident, which has seen Burns charged with manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, reckless endangerment, assault and reckless driving.

But the 44-year-old cannot be prosecuted for the unborn baby's death, as state laws regarding homicide do not apply.

"At the time of the crash, Ruthie was pregnant and was severely injured," said Mr Rubinowitz.

"This past Friday, Ruthie and Jonathan lost their baby, Sophia Rosemary Wong Blumenstein. The pain suffered by Ruthie and Jonathan is nearly impossible to fathom.

"As you might imagine, they are overwhelmed by the sadness of the deaths of their children."

The accident happened in 9th Street at Fifth Avenue in Park Slope
Image: The accident happened in 9th Street at Fifth Avenue in Park Slope

According to the New York Daily News, among the other people hit by the Volvo S60 was Miles' friend Lauren Lew and her one-year-old son Joshua, who also died.

A fifth victim, a 46-year-old man, was also hit by Burns.

Other local media reports suggest Burns had been battling various health problems, including multiple sclerosis, and had got behind the wheel against her doctor's orders.

Six months prior, she reportedly avoided charges after colliding with another woman, leaving her with multiple injuries.

Ruthie Ann Miles and the cast of 'the King and I' perform onstage at the 2015 Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 7, 2015 in New York City
Image: A fundraiser was set up for Miles and her family after the accident

In the wake of the accident in March, a GoFundMe page was set up to raise funds for Miles and her family and raised more than $426,000 (£314,515).

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Miles is best known for her Tony Award-winning performance as Lady Thiang in the revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein's The King and I.

She won for best featured actress in a musical in 2015 and had been due to play the same role in London's West End this summer.

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