A seven-year-old girl who was killed while crossing I-94 Sunday morning has been identified as DeSandra Thomas, according to WJBK (Fox 2).
According to police, the accident appeared to be related to two separate incidents — a drunken driver crash on eastbound I-94 and a driver on the highway who thought she hit a pedestrian.
Police confirmed that it was DeSandra's father who was the drunk driver in a crash that occurred near Merriman Road on the highway. Around 3:30 a.m. on Sunday, Thomas’ father crashed into an abandoned car on I-94. DeSandra left the scene and used a cell phone to call police, worried that her father was dead. She attempted to cross the highway afterward.
Michigan State Police became involved after responding to a woman driving on the highway near Inkster Road who thought she hit a pedestrian with her vehicle. Police didn’t find anyone when they started their search.
Troopers later learned that Romulus police, who had investigated the drunken driving crash, received text messages from 911 about a girl who sought help after her father was involved in a crash.
Because of cell phone tracking technology, police couldn’t locate DeSandra immediately, but her body was eventually found in the median of the highway.
It was confirmed that she was hit by the vehicle the police were initially investigating.
Sandria Burts, DeSandra's mother, told Fox 2 that she received the call about her daughter's death while she was at work.
“It’s straight emptiness. We are in shock but I know God is good and he is the only one that’s going to be able to bring me and my family through this,” Burts told Fox 2.
Burts didn't comment on reports about her ex-husband drinking before the crash.
Michigan State Police said that DeSandra's father is still in custody and under investigation. The woman who hit Thomas was released and hasn't been charged.
DeSandra's family has set up a GoFundMe campaign to pay for the child's funeral.
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