Friends, Family Remember Little Girl Killed While Eating At Taco Stand
BOYLE HEIGHTS (CBSLA) — Family and friends of an 11-year-old girl killed Friday night stopped to remember her today.
For those driving by the crash site it was clear it was a horrible accident on South Marietta Street in Boyle Heights.
This morning, the community of Boyle Heights got to see and hear just how much was lost.
CBS2's Joy Benedict spoke to friends and family of Elektra Yepez.
"It's just sad. I had to tell my friends, too and they were sad," said Yepez' classmate Mariah Delgado. "I just miss her so much."
She woke up to the horrible news this morning.
"She liked to eat pizza. her favorite color was yellow," Mariah said of her friend.
Elektra was standing on the street getting tacos from a local vendor, Investigators say 21-year-old Luis Perez lost control of his Ford Mustang and it veered into oncoming traffic and struck a car heading in the opposite direction. The impact forced the second car onto the sidewalk hitting four adults and pinning Elektra against a wall.
But investigators say something is missing from this road -- skid marks. They don't believe the driver made any attempt to slow down saying he may have been going as fast as 70 mph.
The driver was arrested for vehicular manslaughter. His 16-year-old passenger was arrested for possession of nitrous oxide.
Investigators are trying to determine if drugs were a factor in the crash.
Knowing whether drugs were involved will not bring Elektra back, but it might help the community heal.
"We all know her and miss her a lot," said Mariah.
Although Elektra's parents didn't feel up to talking on camera, they shared many photos of their beloved 6th grader with Benedict.
They said she loved school and music. The former Soto Elementary school student was now attending Endeavor College Prep -- she dreamed of going to college.
"She was a very smart, intelligent little girl," said Mariah's dad.
And her death has left parents like Mariah's trying to somehow explain the unthinkable while holding their own a little tighter.
"She's in Heaven. She's with God," said Mariah's mother.
