Amirah Kinlaw: 9-Year-Old Maryland Girl Struck, Killed In Front Of School By 14-Year-Old Driver, Who Was Fleeing From Police

A third-grader at Steuart Hill Academic Academy was struck and killed in front of her school by a 14-year-old driver, who was fleeing from police after stealing a vehicle, according to CBS News.

Just before 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, 9-year-old Amirah Kinlaw of Baltimore was crossing the street just moments after leaving her school on South Gilmor Street, when she was suddenly struck by a Jeep Liberty that ran a red light.

Paramedics were called to the scene and tried to resuscitate the child on the grass before rushing the third-grader to Johns Hopkins Pediatrics, where she succumbed to her injuries.

Teenager arrested in girl’s fatal hit-and-run outside Baltimore school https://t.co/Hazg6klVEo pic.twitter.com/v8LtUesa0F

— WBAL Baltimore News (@wbaltv11) June 18, 2016

It was later reported that the driver of the SUV was a 14-year-old, whose names has not been released, who had stolen the vehicle from a residence near the 1700 block of Ramsey Street. T.J. Smith, the Director for the Baltimore Police, stated that “the officer activated her emergency equipment in that area of McHenry and Gilmor in an attempt to pull over the vehicle.”

“However, the driver of that Jeep Liberty immediately accelerated at a high rate of speed.”

Witnesses say after the teen driver ran the red light, slamming into the school girl and “smashing several cars, leaving an injured crossing guard in front of the school,” the driver abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene on foot.

Smith told reporters that the “reckless young person in the stolen vehicle had ill regard for people.” And added that it was “absolutely a poor decision that this juvenile made yesterday, and it’s something that he’s going to have to live with for the rest of his life and there are two broken families.”

“No one went home last night. This went throughout the night, throughout the day, to this moment. The investigators were working on this since yesterday afternoon and they haven’t stopped.”

Less than 24 hours after the teen allegedly stole a vehicle and slammed into a group of parked cars and a group of people, killing 9-year-old Amirah Kinlaw, police officials were able to track the teen down after reviewing surveillance footage from the crash scene.

However, the alleged teen driver was first transported to a local hospital for minor injuries that were sustained during the crash, which reportedly killed a Baltimore school girl. The teen will be charged as a juvenile and will be facing vehicular manslaughter charges after being discharged from the hospital.

When the Baltimore girl was struck and killed while crossing the street by a 14-year-old driver, her family and friends were stunned. Several of her classmates at Steuart Hill Academic Academy left bouquets of flowers where paramedics tried desperately to save her life.

According to WBAL TV, Kinlaw’s classmates also left notes at the crash site that stated: “Love you. I wish you could be here.”

Tanyaneka Lipscomb, the principal at Steuart Hill Academic Academy, told reporters that they “have persevered through this difficult time,” and staff have been “making sure we are strong at this difficult time.”

Lipscomb described Amirah as a “creative student who excelled in all areas, and liked to write poetry and sing.” She was also a “member of an after-school tennis team. In an end-of-the-year memory book.”

“Amirah was a star student,” she continued. “This is my first experience with a loss. We all here are doing the best we can. Our hearts are very heavy. I just ask everyone to please keep us in your prayers.”

“Pray for the staff and, more importantly, the family of Amirah.”

Kinlaw’s father, Leon Carter, also spoke with reporters and stated that although he is “still wrapping his head around what happened,” he doesn’t wish any “harm on this little boy because he doesn’t know what he did was wrong.”

Vigil for 9 yr old Amirah Kinkaw who was killed in hit-and-run in front of her school; 14 yr suspect in custody #WJZ pic.twitter.com/SwWhFSMssl

— George Solis WJZ (@GeorgeSolisWJZ) June 18, 2016

“I just pray to him and his family that he’ll have a brighter future than what he’s facing now.”

A vigil was held Saturday for Amirah Kinlaw at Steuart Hill Academic Academy.

[Image via Getty Images/Spencer Platt]