The family of a 31-year-old mother in Oklahoma is dealing with an unspeakable tragedy.
Makayla Mitchell was riding in a sled being towed by a vehicle on Jan. 25, right as the country was dealing with a winter storm that brought freezing temperatures, ice and even heavy snow to some areas. What should have been a night enjoying snowy fun turned dark as the rope that attached the makeshift sled to the vehicle, dragging Mitchell, broke, bringing the vehicle and her to a stop.
A vehicle that was behind Mitchell slammed into her. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
“It’s never a good idea to get out on a public roadway, and it compounds it infinitely when you get impaired drivers pulling sledders,” MSgt. Gary Knight with the Oklahoma City Police Department said. “It’s never a good idea. If people want to go out and have fun on sleds, that’s great. I’m all for that. But please be reasonable, responsible, and practical on how you approach it.”
22-year-old Angel Walzier, who was driving the car that was pulling Mitchell’s sled, and 24-year-old James Kirk, who was driving behind and struck Mitchell, were both charged with second-degree murder and aggravated DUI. Both men were evaluated at the scene, and according to local authorities, both men showed “signs of impairment.”
Kirk is also facing child endangerment charges as Mitchell’s nearly two-year-old daughter, Genesis, was with her at the time of the accident.
Mitchell’s sister, Ladiedra Love, mourned her, saying she had a “bright spirit” and “loved fully and endlessly,” while also suggesting she believed the charges against Kirk and Walzier were too severe.
“I really don’t feel like they should be locked up for it. My sister wouldn’t want it,” she told local affiliate ABC 8. “It would really just be another loss to the community.”
A GoFundMe has been launched for the funeral costs and assistance for Mitchell’s daughter.
“The weight of a funeral is a burden no family should have to carry alone, but our biggest concern is the future of Makayla’s daughter,” a statement on the page reads. “She has lost her North Star, and we want to ensure she is supported and cared for just as Makayla would have wanted.”
More than 40 people across the country have died due to the recent storm. In Texas, a mother of three tried valiantly to save her three children who fell into an icy pond and drowned.
