Juvenile Suspect In Crash That Killed 9-Year-Old In Custody

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A 14-year-old boy is in custody and will be charged in relation to the crash that killed a nine-year-old girl outside her school Thursday afternoon.

He will be charged as a juvenile with vehicular manslaughter and other charges, according to Baltimore Police spokesman T.J. Smith.

"This kid is 14, made a horrible, horrible, horrible mistake, made a horrible, horrible decision, and it's two lives for two young people that are forever damaged," Smith said.

Investigators say the 14-year-old suspect sped off in a stolen Jeep through a red light, just as class was letting out at Steuart Hill Academy in Southwest Baltimore. An officer had attempted to stop him.

"The officer did not pursue the vehicle. Within about 30 seconds, the driver of the vehicle crashed into several people and vehicles, killing Amirah Kinlaw," said Smith.

The teen then struck a vehicle and hit third grader Amirah Kinlaw, who later died from her injuries.

"I got a little relief I found out about the arrest was made. The pain is still alive, but it's not as much as it was since the beginning," said Leon Carter, father.

Still driving, police say the teen slammed into several parked cars before he bailed out and ran.

Police found the teen less than 24 hours later. He had injuries related to the crash, Smith says.

Redd Rodriguez told WJZ the 14-year-old is her daughter's friend.

"He's really remorseful," she said. "He's a little boy, but he's facing grown man charges."

Two other people who were hurt in the crash have been released from the hospital. A third person is still being treated.

"I just want him to grow up to be somebody important and not to be another statistic or another number or a degree to disqualify him as a man that he is," said Carter.

The community has built a memorial for Kinlaw outside Steuart Hill Academy.

"My heart is very heavy today," said Principal Tanyaneka Lipscomb, who remembers Kinlaw as a gifted student who put others ahead of herself. "Amirah Kinlaw is a star student. She was an example of being a star. She persevered through challenges of others, her peers, she helped them."

There will be a vigil for Kinlaw outside the school on Saturday afternoon.

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