MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A family is mourning after a high school student was one of three pedestrians hit and killed in Memphis Tuesday night.
Family members have identified the victim as 18-year-old Aaliyah Dalton.
A crash report identified Aaliyah as the pedestrian who was hit by a car while walking in the turning lane on Range Line Road in Frayser around 5:30 p.m. Her family told us she lived on this road and was three minutes away from home when she was killed.
Her family said she was a senior at Trezevant High and was leaving after-school tutoring when she was struck. Her guardian Felicia Brown said Aaliyah texted her to say she was staying late for tutoring and would walk home with friends.
“She never came home so I thought maybe she’s hanging out with relatives or whatever,” she said.
Her family said despite Aaliyah having her ID and phone, they were never notified. Wednesday morning, they searched the area and went to her school to track down her whereabouts.
“One of the students said there was an accident after school,” Brown said. “Me and my sister her mother went to the precinct, and they asked her some questions to identify the body and it was her.”
It was a gut-wrenching discovery for her loved ones who wanted to see her reach her dream of becoming a chef.
“I was hoping to find her but I didn’t want to find her that way. She a baby she had her whole life ahead of her and she was working to achieve every goal she wanted and it was just taken. She was just walking home,” said Sirella Taylor, Aaliyah Dalton’s aunt.
MPD says the 39-year-old driver stayed on the scene and was jumped by several men who accused him of hitting Aaliyah on purpose.
As the investigation continues, her family is looking at the speeding, wet roads and visibility as contributing factors that cut a young life way too soon.
Police said no charges have been filed at this time.
In a statement to families, Trezevant High said they will have counselors on hand to provide emotional support.