BEAUMONT, Texas — A 14-year-old is facing a manslaughter charge after a crash involving five minors and a stolen car left a 13-year-old Beaumont girl dead
The 13-year-old girl was later identified as Theresa Franklin.
Franklin was killed when the stolen vehicle crashed into a concrete pillar at Major Drive and Interstate 10. Officials called the scene heartbreaking, describing it as a bad decision that resulted in deadly consequences.
The incident began shortly after 3:30 a.m. Sunday, when officers were called to the 3100 block of Symone Street. That's the neighborhood behind the Elegante.
Officers found the suspects fleeing the scene in a 2023 Silver Hyundai, which was reported stolen by the Nederland Police Department. Five minors were in the Hyundai.
Beaumont Police Patrol Captain Chris Schult said after the suspects were spotted, things escalated.
“There was a vehicle that left at a really high rate of speed, in an erratic way,” Capt. Schult said. “The officer tried to initiate a stop and the vehicle fled.”
The chase ended after the stolen 2023 silver Hyundai crashed into a concrete pillar. Four of the five minors ran away from the scene.
All of them were eventually caught and identified.
“This accident, unfortunately, happened at a high rate of speed,” Capt. Schult said.
Franklin was pronounced dead at the scene by Justice of the Peace Ben Collins.
“This has been one of the worst scenes I have been on since I have been JP,” Judge Collins said. “Adults you can deal with because they have lived their life a bit, but when it's a child, it's a whole different hurt.”
A 14-year-old boy that police believe was driving the Hyundai when it crashed is facing manslaughter charges.
Franklin's older 14-year-old sister was in the vehicle. Officials said she is cooperating with the investigation.
Franklin and her sister both attended Martin Luther King Middle School.
Several vehicles were stolen over the weekend. Officers are working to see if the group was connected to the thefts that led to the deadly wreck.
Police are trying to be transparent and release what they can while protecting the privacy of minors.
“To tell the public what is going on so we can avoid tragedies like this in the future,” Capt. Schult said.
The owner of the stolen Hyundai told 12News he woke up around 3 a.m. Sunday and saw his car was missing. He called police and used a blue link to track it.
The owner asked not to be identified but sent his thoughts and prayers to Franklin.
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