The 20 year woman who, while under the influence of inhalants, ran over and killed a 5 year old girl spoke to thirty Chicago teens last week, warning them about the dangers of drugs. She is to be sentenced next month for aggravated DUI and reckless homicide.
With a photo of the young victim on the table next to her, she told the teens she started using drugs, when she was 12 years old. She also discussed being bullied and struggling with finding her identity as an adopted child. At 15 she moved to heavier drugs and prescription pills to cope with a pit bull attack that left her face scarred. At 16 she entered a treatment center in Utah and stayed there until she graduated high school.When she returned home, depression kicked back in and she started using again.
On September 3, 2012 she noted she made "the
terrible decision to drive under the influence. I passed out behind the wheel
of the car. My car went over four lanes of traffic and hit the pedestrian
family. I turned around after I got
out of the car, and I saw two people laying on the ground — a woman screaming
'My miniña!' and a little girl. I ran over as best I could and tried giving the
girl CPR and held the mother's hand, and when the cops arrived, I got up and
said, 'I did this. Will you take me away? I was driving under the influence. I
did this."
The following day officers told her the young girl had died and she was charged with the accident. She said she has been sober since and has been volunteering at a recovery center with troubled kids while helping to start a "Step Up! & Say No To Drugs!" campaign.
No comments:
Post a Comment