Charges against dad pending after 7-year-old girl killed on I-94 while trying to get help

ROMULUS, Mich. (WJBK) - It's been a little more than a day since a 7-year-old girl was killed in an avoidable tragedy on a major interstate in the metro area. Prosecutors say charges against her father are pending.

DeSandra Thomas was hit and killed on I-94 in Romulus around 3 a.m. Sunday. Police say the girl was seeking help for her father, who was involved in an alleged drunk driving crash, when she attempted to cross the freeway. She was hit by an oncoming driver. 

DeSandra thought her father died when he crashed into an abandoned car on the side of the freeway, so she used a cell phone to text message 911 but couldn’t call. Police couldn’t find her though, even after pinging the cell phone. 

It wasn’t until a 911 call came in a short time later from a woman driving in the area, who told police she thought she hit someone on the highway. Little did she know, she was talking about DeSandra . 

Authorities say they don’t plan to charge the driver who accidentally hit DeSandra, but charges against her father are pending.

“She was a beautiful thing, she was on her way to the third grade. She was 7 years old, she would give you the shirt off her back. She was so helpful," her mother, Sandria Burts, said. "She died trying to help her father. She thought her father was dead."

Toxicology tests will determine the father’s blood alcohol level. Michigan State Police 1st Lt. Mike Shaw said that her life is cut short because of his actions.

"This poor child doesn’t get to live the rest of her life because of a decision an adult made."

Burts told FOX 2 she's choosing to focus on her little girl right now and not what her father may have done.

"I love her and I miss her so much," Burst said. "I know God is good. He the only one that's going to bring me and my family through this."

The family has set up a GoFundMe account to help pay for DeSandra's funeral. If you'd like to make a donation, you can do so online here.