Inset: Grace Edwards (GoFundMe). Background: The parking lot of a shopping plaza in Long Beach, California, where Edwards was allegedly hit and killed by a distracted driver (Google Maps).
Cops in California arrested a 40-year-old man who allegedly killed a 19-year-old nursing student while he was backing out of a parking spot at a shopping center containing Five Below and Trader Joe”s.
Desean Edwards is facing a charge of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence in the death of Grace Edwards (no relation), according to the Long Beach Police Department.
The incident occurred shortly before 4 p.m. on Nov. 2 in the parking lot of the shopping center on the 2200 block of Bellflower Boulevard. Grace Edwards was walking through the parking lot with her mother when the driver hit her while backing out of a parking space, according to cops.
Police said “distracted driving is believed to be a contributing factor in the collision,” though they have not expanded on how Desean Edwards was distracted.
When cops arrived on the scene, they found Grace Edwards suffering from upper-body injuries. Paramedics rushed her to the hospital, where she died a few days later.
Desean Edwards was arrested on Tuesday and taken to jail on a $75,000 bond. His next court date is set for May 13.
Friends of the family set up a GoFundMe account to benefit her family.
“Grace was a vibrant and carefree 19 year old girl. She was a loving daughter, sister, granddaughter, friend, and nursing student. She touched the lives of so many, including young families as she cared for many children at her church and in her community,” the fundraiser’s description said. “Grace was beautiful, kind, smart, and a steady example of what it means to love and serve others.”
Just days before the accident, Grace Edwards spoke with her parents about wanting to be an organ donor.
“On Sunday, November 9th, in the presence of hospital staff and many beloved friends and family, Grace was ushered into the OR with an Honor Walk, serving others in death just as she did in life,” the fundraiser reads. “We are comforted by the fact that her legacy is going to live on and bring life to others. Because of Grace’s immense love for children, it is fitting to know that her heart was donated to an 8 year old.”
