Missouri teenager killed by deputy's car in early morning collision

Summarised from 2 outlets · 3 reports · Updated 9 Oct, 00:31 · Archive

A 16-year-old Missouri girl was struck and killed by a sheriff's deputy vehicle responding to a report of an unresponsive person in the road.

Persephone Berger, 16, was struck and killed by a St. Francois County Sheriff's Office vehicle early Saturday morning near St. Louis. A deputy responding to a call about an unresponsive person lying in the road did not see her and hit her with his car at around 3:40 to 3:45 a.m. She was pronounced dead at the scene. According to preliminary autopsy findings, her injuries were consistent with being hit by the vehicle. Officials were awaiting toxicology results.

Berger had snuck out to attend a neighbourhood party and was returning home when she was struck, according to her aunt Kimberly Cabuchola. The family alleges that law enforcement initially told Berger's father his daughter died in a hit-and-run accident, concealing the deputy's involvement. Cabuchola said authorities did not contact her brother for three days.

Cabuchola told reporters that the family would have forgiven the deputy if authorities had been transparent about the incident. "All they had to do was say 'Our officer accidentally ran over your child and she died'," she said. Instead, she criticised the sheriff's office for the delay in contacting the family and for allegedly misrepresenting the circumstances. Sheriff Jeff Crites confirmed the deputy, approximately 23 years old and employed for around three months, struck Berger while approaching the scene.

How it is being reported

• Family demands answers from police in teen's deathSixteen-year-old Persephone Berger died on Saturday morning near St. Louis. Her family and friends are demanding to know why it took days to learn how she died. Ian Lee reports.CBS News · 9 Oct, 00:59
• Family of dead teen who was struck by deputy's car demands answersPersephone Berger, 16, was pronounced dead after a deputy who was responding to a call about an unresponsive person lying in the road hit her with his vehicle.CBS News · 9 Oct, 00:04
• Missouri high schooler killed after being hit by cop car — then police allegedly framed death as hit-and-runMissouri high schooler Persephone Berger, 16, was lying in the road when she was struck by a St. Francois County Sheriff’s Office vehicle on Saturday.New York Post · 8 Oct, 11:50

In this story: Persephone Berger · Kimberly Cabuchola · St. Francois County Sheriff's Office · Missouri

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