A 16-year-old Missouri girl was killed when a sheriff’s deputy’s vehicle struck her as she lay unconscious in the roadway during the early-morning hours.
The St. Francois County Sheriff’s Office said a deputy was dispatched at 3:43 a.m. Saturday after receiving a report of an unconscious girl in a street near Park Hills, roughly 65 miles south of St. Louis.
As the deputy arrived, he noticed the caller’s vehicle parked nearby with its hazard lights flashing. However, authorities said he did not see the teenager on the road.
The deputy, who has not been publicly identified, then hit the girl with his vehicle. A coroner responded and pronounced her dead at the scene.
Family members and the coroner’s office later identified the teenager as Persephone Berger.
An autopsy was performed Monday. According to the sheriff’s office, preliminary results found no physical injuries on Berger before she was struck by the deputy’s vehicle.
Her official cause and manner of death will be confirmed once the coroner’s office completes its final autopsy report.
Investigators have not yet determined why Berger was unconscious in the middle of the road in the early hours of the morning. The circumstances remain under investigation.
Persephone Berger, 16, died after a deputy’s vehicle struck her while she was unconscious on a Missouri road at 3:43 a.m.
The St. Francois County Sheriff’s Office said the deputy did not see Berger and is investigating why she was lying unconscious in the roadway. She is pictured with her mother.
Members of the local community gathered Monday evening for a candlelight vigil honoring Berger.
Following the preliminary autopsy findings, the Missouri State Highway Patrol was called in to independently examine the crash, the events leading up to it and Berger’s death.
The sheriff’s office also pushed back against misinformation circulating online. Officials said false social media posts claimed Berger had been struck during a vehicle pursuit and that the deputy fled after the collision.
The tragedy brought the Park Hills community together Monday night, when residents gathered for a somber candlelight vigil to remember the teenager.
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Emma Houser, one of Berger’s friends, told KMOV that Berger was “a really lively, understanding person” who “never judged a soul.” She remembered her as “a really sweet person.”
Friend Isaac Madden described Berger as “very kind” and “super funny.” He added that she was “really smart” and “had a bright future ahead of her.”
Riley Skaggs, another friend and classmate, said Berger was “probably one of the top of our class” at West County High School, where all three friends attended.
West County High School shared a statement on social media expressing sympathy for Berger’s loved ones, friends, classmates, teachers and everyone affected by what it called a heartbreaking loss.
Berger’s friends remembered her as a top student who “had a bright future ahead of her.” The 16-year-old is pictured in a school photo.
Berger’s friends Isaac Madden, Emma Houser and Riley Skaggs said they are organizing a T-shirt fundraiser to help support her family.
Berger was struck on this road near Park Hills, a city about 65 miles south of St Louis. Missouri State Highway Patrol is conducting an independent investigation into her death
‘Our school community is more than just a place of learning. We are a family and we will continue to support our students, staff, and families through this difficult time,’ it added.
The high school also said that there will be counselors and support available for students and staff who have been impacted by Berger’s death.
Houser, Madden and Skaggs told KMOV that they have been working on a T-shirt fundraiser to support Berger’s parents and siblings.
‘I just want the family to know that she was a great person and made the community come together… She’s very deeply missed,’ Madden said.
‘We’re here, and we’re gonna do the best we can to raise as much money and get justice for Persephone,’ Skaggs said.
An online fundraiser has also been organized to help Berger’s family cover funeral costs.
The Daily Mail has reached out to the St Francois County Sheriff’s Office for comment.
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