The family of a teenager, Persephone Berger, who died after being struck by a sheriff’s deputy’s vehicle in St. Francois County, Missouri, is seeking answers about the incident. They are frustrated that it took days for them to learn the details, as they were initially told it was a hit-and-run.
Persephone, 16, was hit in the early hours while lying unresponsive in the road. The deputy, responding to a call about a person in the road, did not see her and struck her with his vehicle. She was pronounced dead on the scene, and preliminary autopsy findings indicated injuries consistent with being hit by a car, with no prior injuries found.
Her aunt, Kimberly Cabuchola, claims the family was misinformed and emphasized that they received no notification of the incident from law enforcement, only from the coroner. She wants transparency regarding why there was a delay in informing them.
The sheriff’s office stated the deputy immediately reported the incident and denied suggestions that it involved a vehicle pursuit. An independent investigation led by the Missouri State Highway Patrol is underway to determine the circumstances surrounding Berger’s presence on the road before being hit.
Cabuchola has vowed that the family will continue their efforts until they receive the truth about what happened. The deputy involved has not been publicly identified, and the sheriff’s department has not commented further on the case.
