A former Miss New Jersey winner critically injured in a crash last week died this morning at Cooper University Hospital in Camden.
Cara McCollum, 24, of Margate, died at 4:31 a.m. Monday, according to a Facebook group, "Prayers for Cara," which has provided periodic updates about her condition.
McCollum was driving a 2014 Ford Mustang convertible northbound on Route 55 in Pittsgrove Township on Feb. 15 when the vehicle veered off the road and struck several trees. She was not wearing a seatbelt.
McCollum grew up in Arkansas but graduated from Princeton University. She won the Miss New Jersey pageant in 2013 and went on to compete for Miss America in 2014.
McCollum worked for SNJ Today, a program seen on Cumberland County's Comcast channel 22, WACP channel 4 and channel 26 in Cape May and Atlantic counties.
During her 2013 reign as Miss New Jersey, she worked with high school students attending former Assemblywoman Carolin Casagrande's Women's Leadership Institute. McCollum also volunteered time with to help promote literacy among inner-city children.
"I think the world should know she is more than a beautiful Ivy League pageant queen," Casagrande said last week. "She is an incredible humanitarian that cares about the world."
Casagrande said McCollum called her office out of the blue after reading about the Institute, which showed high school junior girls the career possibilities open to them.
McCollum's platform while representing New Jersey was literacy. She arranged to have books donated and she and members of the Leadership Institute wrapped them and attached birthday cards which were given to first- and second-grade students in the Asbury Park School District.
Her organs will be donated, according to the Facebook post.
Bill Gallo and Amy Kuperinsky contributed to this report.
Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.