How Could You? Hall of Shame-Sky Lhamon case-Child Death

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

From Sidney, Ohio, 13-year-old foster child Sky Lhamon “died in a crash after driving her foster mother’s minivan” on June 7, 2018.

“There’s a bad accident,” said a man who called 911. “Car over. Hit by a semi.”

According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, it was around 9 p.m. Thursday night when a Chrysler minivan was traveling northbound on State Route 235 near Route 41 in Pike Township when it went left of center into the path of an oncoming semi truck.

The semi tried to avoid hitting the minivan but was unable to do so, and they collided head-on, according to troopers.

Several calls to 911 came in, including one from a former police officer.

“All I can see is an airbag,” the caller said. “It’s going to be a fatal. I can tell you that now.”

According to authorities, Lhamon was alone in the car at the time of the crash and was wearing a seatbelt. She died at the scene.

“I do not know the circumstances yet,” said Sgt. Shane Meddock of the Ohio State Highway Patrol. “We’re still investigating some things with that juvenile.”

According to the Shelby County Department of Job and Family Services, Sky was under the county’s permanent custody in foster care for almost two years.

About an hour before the crash, her foster mother reported to children’s services that Sky had taken her minivan, according to Dave Jenkins, children’s services administrator.

Workers at children’s services are devastated, Jenkins said.

“Sky was a great kid,” he said. “And it’s going to be a great loss for a number of people. Not only at this agency, but there’s quite a few people that she came in contact with.”

Sky and her foster mother visited the children’s services office earlier this week for a meeting, Jenkins said.

“The initial shock certainly – when we find out this happened and then finding out for sure that it was Sky – is disbelief,” he said. “You don’t know what to think. It’s like it’s not real.”

The children’s services staff is not sure why Sky took her foster mother’s minivan, Jenkins said.

“We have no idea where she was going,” Jenkins said. “We have no idea why she did this, why she took the van, what the reason was behind it.”

The children’s services team was trying to find Sky a family to be adopted into, Jenkins said.

“She was a very outgoing personality, very engaging,” Jenkins said. “Not that she didn’t have her struggles certainly in life. She’s experienced a lot of pain, grief and loss in her 13 years.”

Now, the staff members at children’s services are trying to help each other – and the community – heal, Jenkins said.

“We do have sympathy for all involved,” Jenkins said. “And we would be happy to talk with anybody that has a need for any kind of professional help or to refer them somewhere in dealing with this terrible loss.”

The semi-truck driver was treated on scene for minor injuries, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

No charges will be filed, Sgt. Meddock said.”

Children’s services staff remembers girl killed in crash

[WDTN 6/8/18 by Kristen Eskow]

 

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