A 13-year-old Kansas girl got caught in her seatbelt while trying to escape her family’s SUV during a carjacking — and was dragged to her death as the thief drove for several miles, according to reports.
Brianna Ibarra was alone in her family’s Ford Escape as her family left the engine running Saturday while picking up takeout from a Wichita restaurant, her parents told Kake News.
When a thief jumped in and sped off, the 13-year-old student tried to jump out — but got caught on the seatbelt.
The driver continued speeding away, with horrified motorists dialing 911 at seeing the girl being dragged behind the stolen vehicle for several miles, police told the outlet.
When he finally pulled over, the driver ran off — and Brianna was pronounced dead at the scene.
Kevin Palmer, 34, was arrested nearby and charged with a slew of crimes, including first-degree murder, online records show. He is being held on $511,000 bond.
Wichita Police Chief Gordon Ramsay told Kake it was “one of the saddest cases I have been associated with in my over 28 years of law enforcement.”
Brianna’s parents told Kake that their daughter “always made everybody laugh, loved her family (and) was always up for any adventure.”
The “loss of (our) daughter was a tragedy that no family should have to go through,” they told the station.
An online fundraiser started by a friend had raised more than $33,000 by Tuesday morning.
