A 7-year-old girl was killed while attempting to cross an interstate in Romulus, Michigan, as she attempted to seek help for her father, who was allegedly involved in a suspected drunken driving crash early Sunday, police said.
The girl has been identified as Dessandra Mariah Thoams, according to Detroit television station WXYZ.
Troopers arrived at eastbound I-94 and Inkster Road in response to a driver who believed she had hit a person. When officers began investigating, they did not see damage to the woman’s vehicle or an injured person or animal in the area.
After investigating the suspected pedestrian accident, troopers learned that the Romulus Police Department had been looking into a crash that happened on I-94 and Merriman Road at 3:30 a.m. involving a suspected DUI driver that occurred earlier, according to Michigan State Police.
Desandra had been sending Romulus police text messages requesting help.
The7-year-old girl then attempted to cross the interstate to find help when she was struck by the vehicle Michigan State Police Officers were investigating, authorities said. She died instantly.
The driver of the car that hit the young girl has been released.
The girl’s father, who was allegedly driving drunk, is in police custody.
The victim’s mother told WXYZ she was devastated over her daughter’s death.
“It’s a void that will never be filled, never be filled,” Sandria Burts said in an interview with the station. “Anybody that she touched she was a blessing to them.”
The mother continued: “She was a beautiful thing, she was on her way to the third grade. She was 7 years old, she would give you the shirt off her back. She was so helpful.”
Burts, who was originally told she could have no children, waited 20 years to have Dessandra, according to WXYZ. In that time, she became a foster mother and adopted two kids before getting pregnant with her daughter.
“I love her and I miss her so much,” she said.