A nurse suspected of causing a multi-car crash in Los Angeles in which a baby, a pregnant woman and three other adults were killed has been charged with murder.

Nicole Lorraine Linton, 37, from Texas, was charged with six counts of murder and five counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.

Prosecutors say her Mercedes-Benz was doing 90mph last Thursday when it hit cars at a junction near a petrol station in Windsor Hills, setting several on fire.

The vehicle is thought to have gone through a red light, according to California Highway Patrol.

Footage of the fatal crash posted on social media showed the car crash into several other vehicles before exploding into flames.

Among the victims were 23-year-old pregnant mum Asherey Ryan, her 11-month-old son Alonzo Quintero and her boyfriend, Reynold Lester.

Mr Lester’s family told KABC-TV the 24-year-old security guard was the father of Ms Ryan’s unborn child and they were on their way to a doctor’s appointment for a prenatal check-up when the collision happened.

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One murder charge – but not an additional charge of vehicular manslaughter – was filed for the foetus, identified by the coroner’s office as Armani Lester and listed as born on the same day he died.

“A young family was destroyed in the blink of an eye,” District Attorney George Gascon said at a news conference.

Two other women were also killed but their names have not yet been made public.

Linton did not enter a plea during her first court appearance on Monday.

She faces up to life in prison if convicted of all charges.

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