KERRVILLE, Texas — A 15-year-old died Sunday after a car filled with teenagers crashed into a tree in Kerrville, according to officials.
Kerrville Police said a BMW was on the 200 block of Holdsworth Drive around 1:30 a.m. Sunday morning when the car veered off the road, overturned, and hit a tree.
"This is a tragic incident," Kerrville Police Chief Chris McCall said in the aftermath. "It's always heartbreaking to see a young life cut short. Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Ayden in their time of grief."
Shelby Balser is the assistant superintendent of administration and human resources for Kerrville ISD. She personally knew some of the victims in the crash.
“It’s really hard for people to wrap their minds around death," Balser said. "But death of young people is incredibly challenging for everyone. For every parent. Really every teacher’s worst nightmare.”
She’s also one of many faculty members who went to the hospital to check on the teens after the crash.
“You immediately feel this rush of everybody’s here," she said. "We’re going to figure this out together and we’re going to take steps forward to healing and grieving because we have lost a student.”
Two 15-year-olds and a 14-year-old were rushed to Peterson Regional Medical Center in Kerrville where the two were treated and released. The 19-year-old driver from Fredericksburg was airlifted to BAMC in San Antonio.
The fourth passenger, identified as 15-year-old Ayden Elyse Valdez, died at the scene.
No charges have been filed as the investigation continues.
Balser says some of the teens involved in the crash were students of Hal Peterson Middle School and Tivy High School.
“We obviously get calls from surrounding schools," Balser said. "Asking ‘What can we do? How can we help?’ Because it is a tight-knit community.”
As more details are revealed, Kerrville ISD staff is working to make sure the community is given accurate information at this sensitive time.
“It expands to even contacting friend group’s parents to make sure that they’re aware and they’re getting accurate information and not, especially in the day of social media, inaccurate information or rumors," said Balser.
Ayden's family has created a GoFundMe to raise money for funeral expenses.
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