How Could You? Hall of Shame-Kendra Czekaj 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 Sacramento, California, a “12-year-old girl died Wednesday night after being struck by a vehicle on the Capital City Freeway, with a California Highway Patrol spokesman saying the child was trying to stop a teen who had run away from a nearby children’s receiving home and onto the highway.

The incident in Arden Arcade began when a “very distraught” teenager left the children’s receiving home at Watt Avenue and Auburn Boulevard, then proceeded by foot onto the nearby freeway, CHP North Sacramento Officer Greg Zumstein said.

A second girl, a friend of the first who also lives at the receiving home, then followed her into eastbound traffic near Watt Avenue in an apparent effort to get her out of harm’s way, Zumstein said.

This second girl was then hit by a vehicle traveling in the fast lane of the eastbound Capital City Freeway around 9:50 p.m. and pronounced dead at the scene by fire personnel, Zumstein said. The other girl was not struck or injured.

Zumstein said Thursday morning that both girls were teens. A news release by the CHP early clarified that the girl who was killed was 12 years old and that the girl she was chasing after was 16. The younger girl was struck by a 2009 Lexus driven by a 40-year-old Sacramento woman.

The driver remained at the scene and cooperated with authorities, according to Zumstein, who said there was “no reason to suspect DUI.”

Following the pedestrian collision, there were about eight to 10 people gathered near the center divider, according to the CHP incident log, which reported that these people were possibly from “rec home, poss staff and other kids.” The incident log then indicated at 10:15 p.m. that authorities requested an ambulance to the scene “for 1 kid (from) rec home for 5150,” an involuntary psychiatric hold.

The Sacramento Children’s Receiving Home is directly adjacent to the eastbound ramp onto the Capital City Freeway.

“The entire Children’s Receiving Home of Sacramento community is devastated by the tragic death on I-80 last night of a youth placed in our temporary shelter care facility,” Sacramento Children’s Receiving Home CEO David Ballard told The Sacramento Bee in an emailed statement.

“By law, CRH (as well as other residential facilities for foster children/youth), is not permitted to lock children onto campus to prevent them from leaving. Staff is required to follow youth when they leave campus to try to persuade them to return, and CRH did so last night,” Ballard’s statement continued.

Ballard said the receiving home cannot comment further due to confidentiality laws.

The “serious traffic collision” closed all eastbound lanes of the Capital City Freeway for about two hours, according to tweets by Caltrans. Lanes reopened to traffic just before midnight.

The victim will be identified by the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office pending notification of family.”

12-year-old girl killed while trying to get ‘distraught’ friend off Capital City Freeway, CHP says

[The Sacramento Bee 01/16/2020 by Michael Mc Gough]

REFORM Puzzle Piece

Update: “The 12-year-old girl struck and killed Tuesday night on the Capital City Freeway, during an apparent effort to stop a teen who had run into traffic after leaving a nearby children’s receiving home, has been identified by the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office.

The coroner has named the victim as Kendra Czekaj of Sacramento.

California Highway Patrol North Sacramento spokesman Office Greg Zumstein said the incident began shortly before 10 p.m. Tuesday in the Arden Arcade area when a “distraught” teenage girl left the children’s receiving home located at Watt Avenue and Auburn Boulevard, just south of the freeway.

Czekaj then followed that teen girl into eastbound Capital City Freeway traffic near Watt Avenue as she tried to get her out of harm’s way, Zumstein said.

The girl was hit by 2009 Lexus traveling in the fast lane, according to a CHP news release. The driver, a 40-year-old woman, stopped and cooperated with authorities after colliding with the pedestrian, Zumstein said. Czekaj was pronounced dead at the scene.

Sacramento Children’s Receiving Home CEO David Ballard in an emailed statement confirmed the fatal incident involved juveniles from the foster care facility, which is located directly adjacent to the eastbound ramp onto the Capital City Freeway.

“The entire Children’s Receiving Home of Sacramento community is devastated by the tragic death on I-80 last night of a youth placed in our temporary shelter care facility,” Ballard told said in a written emailed statement.

Ballard also said the foster center cannot lock children on its campus.

“By law, CRH (as well as other residential facilities for foster children/youth), is not permitted to lock children onto campus to prevent them from leaving,” his statement continued. “Staff is required to follow youth when they leave campus to try to persuade them to return, and CRH did so last night,”

Ballard said the receiving home cannot comment further due to confidentiality laws.”

Coroner identifies girl, 12, killed on freeway after leaving Sacramento foster center

[Sacramento Bee 12/17/2020 by Michael Mc Gough]