Family grieves loss of 11-year-old killed after car full of children crashes in Stockton
STOCKTON – The family of an 11-year-old girl was grieving Sunday night after she was killed when a car full of children who were all under the legal driving age crashed into a tree in Stockton.
It happened on North El Dorado Street around 7:45 a.m. It is usually a busy street, but it was quieter at that time since it was Sunday.
The family identified the 11-year-old as Queen Marie Stacy Norwood. They gathered at the scene of the crash on Sunday evening with candles. They stopped traffic on the busy street she was killed on to release pink balloons in her honor.
"We have a party advising that one of the subjects that was ejected is not moving," said a first responder over scanner audio that captured the critical moments.
Tire marks on the ground showed the path the car took from North El Dorado Street into a tree.
Police said the car was full of five girls and a boy, ages 11 to 15, all of them too young to drive.
Queen died from her injuries in the hospital and the family said the other children were rushed to the hospital, some with broken bones and bruises, but are expected to survive.
"I just woke up and I just heard a loud bang," said a neighbor who did not want to be identified.
The neighbor said he is grateful the tree stopped the car from hitting his home that was just feet away from the crash.
"But I'm just not grateful it happened at all because that was someone's kids, and they were so young," the neighbor said.
CBS13 asked the Stockton Police Public Information Officer Omer Edhah if the parents could be held responsible for what happened.
"The question will be, rightfully so, whether or not the parents will be charged or not," Edhah said. "That all will be determined later on."
Edhah said they are still looking into whether the children were wearing seat belts and which of them was behind the wheel. Investigators are also not ruling out distracted driving, speeding or driving under the influence at this point.
"Be aware of your kids at all times and where they are and your keys," Edhah said.
Queen's loved ones said the children may not have all been siblings, but they grew up together, like family, and now all hurting together.
"I hope that they get through this eventually, but I'm sad that this happened to them," the neighbor said.
The grieving family's big focus was on honoring Queen, but police said there is still a lot to uncover through the investigation like how the kids got the keys to a car to begin with and if parents will be facing any charges.