12-year-old walking to recess killed by unoccupied car rolling down hill, WA cops say
.png "A middle school girl was struck by a vehicle on a sidewalk in Seattle, police said.")
A 12-year-old girl was killed when an unoccupied SUV rolled down a hill and struck her outside a Washington school, officials and news outlets reported.
The sixth grader was walking on a sidewalk to recess at about 12:30 p.m. Thursday, March 6, when she was hit by a 2018 GMC Acadia, the Seattle Police Department and the Seattle Public Schools said in a release.
The driver “failed to properly park,” and the SUV rolled about 75 yards down the street before fatally striking the student outside Washington Middle School, KING-5 and the school district reported.
Police told McClatchy News the 51-year-old female driver was not impaired. The investigation is ongoing.
The school went into shelter-in-place following the tragic incident and ended classes early, the district said.
The child’s identity is not being shared to protect the privacy of her family, the school said.
Counseling will be available to students at the middle school on March 7.
“Please hold your loved ones close and seek comfort in one another. Remember, you can reach out to me and our school staff if you have questions or concerns,” Principal Adrian Manriquez said in an email to families.
This story was originally published March 7, 2025 at 9:16 AM.
