Ohio mom struck by her own car while trying to save her child from a carjacking, authorities say
By Brammhi Balarajan and Ashley R. Williams, CNN
(CNN) — An Ohio mother was struck by her own vehicle and later died after trying to save her child from someone attempting to steal her car, according to the Columbus Division of Police.
Alexa Stakely, 29, was picking up her 6-year-old child from her babysitter’s apartment just before 1:30 a.m. ET on Thursday when she realized she needed to go back inside to get an item “from the babysitter who she met just inside the front door,” the police report stated.
As she returned to her vehicle, authorities say Stakely saw someone starting to back her Honda SUV out of the driveway with her sleeping child still inside the vehicle.
The mother was seen running after the stolen car and screaming for her child when she was struck by the car and thrown onto the pavement, according to the police report.
Stakely was pronounced dead at a hospital several hours later, authorities said.
Her sleeping son was later found unharmed in the abandoned car nearby, according to the report.
Authorities have not made any arrests in the case as of Saturday, a Columbus Division of Police spokesperson told CNN.
Stakely was a speech language pathologist at Winchester Trail Elementary, according to a social media post from Canal Winchester Schools.
“Stakely also worked a second job as a waitress to support her 6-year-old child,” the police report stated.
She went to pick up her child early Thursday after having completed her shift, authorities say.
Canal Winchester Schools, with whom Stakely had been employed for five years, described her in a Facebook post as “a great mom who was incredibly dedicated to her son.”
The post continued: “Ms. Stakely made a difference in the lives of the students and families she worked with and will be missed by so many in our community and beyond.”
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