Girl, 10, killed by car fleeing traffic stop was headed to school to get laptop for e-learning, mom says

A 10-year-old girl — killed Wednesday after police say a car fleeing a traffic stop crashed into the car she was in — was heading to school to get a computer to use for remote learning, which starts next week, her mom said.

Darnesha Johnson said her daughter, Da’Karia Spicer, and son, Dhaamir, were on their way to get a laptop for the girl when the crash happened in Gresham on the South Side. Dhaamir, 5, is now in critical condition.

“Worst day of my life,” Johnson told reporters.

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Police said officers tried to pull over a black sedan for a traffic violation at 12:27 p.m. near 80th and Halsted streets.

The car took off heading west and hit a gray car headed north on Halsted and a tan sedan that was pulled over on westbound 80th, police said. Three people then got out of the black car and ran.

Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times

Da’Karia, who was in the tan sedan, was taken to Comer Children’s Hospital and pronounced dead, police said.

Her brother was also taken to Comer in critical condition, police said. The driver of the tan car, a 43-year-old man, was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in good condition.

The 57-year-old woman driving the gray car was also taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in good condition.

Johnson said Dhaamir has a gash to his head that doctors stitched up but no head trauma. She also said her son was intubated because he had trouble breathing.

Johnson said her daughter was starting 5th grade at Foster Park Elementary School and was a straight-A student. She also was “her little cheerleader” and loved Girl Scouts.

“That was my little girl, that was my little best friend,” Johnson said as tears rolled down her face. “She was just so lovable, anybody she’d meet or got to know her loved her. And they just took my baby away from me like that.

“It’s just sad, it’s just sad.”

The Chicago Police Department released a statement calling the accident a “devastating loss of life.”

“Our sincerest condolences go out to the family and all those impacted by this tragic incident,” the statement said.

Area Two detectives are questioning a person of interest in the crash, police said.

The Civilian Office of Police Accountability is investigating.

Although police did not release details on whether officers pursued the initial car for any distance, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced she was formulating policies to limit police chases after a woman was killed during a pursuit earlier this year.

Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.

Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times