Ohio mother dies trying to rescue 6-year-old son during carjacking
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — An Ohio mother died after trying to stop her car from being stolen with her 6-year-old son inside outside an apartment complex in Columbus.
Alexa Stakely died at a hospital on Thursday morning after the incident, The Columbus Dispatch reported.
Police reportedly said the 29-year-old mother went to an apartment complex on Blue Knoll Drive at 1:30 a.m. on Thursday to pick up her son from a babysitter. The newspaper reported that Stakely took her sleeping child to her Honda CRV and went back inside to grab some of the boy's belongings while the vehicle was running.
The Columbus Dispatch said when she came back outside, Stakely saw someone behind the wheel of her vehicle backing out onto the road. She then ran after the driver and was heard screaming for her child and telling the driver to stop.
She reportedly got onto the hood of the vehicle but was later struck by the driver and fell to the ground. She reportedly suffered a "fatal wound" to her head.
The Honda CRV was later abandoned, and two men were seen running from it. Police are now looking for them. The boy was not injured.
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Stakely worked at Winchester Trail Elementary School in Winchester, Ohio, the school said on Thursday. She was a speech-language pathologist.
"Alexa was passionate about children and speech-language therapy," a statement from the school said. "She was smart and compassionate, and she cared so much about helping children develop their ability to communicate. She was a great mom who was incredibly dedicated to her son. Ms. Stakely made a difference in the lives of the students and families she worked with and will be missed by so many in our community and beyond."