A year to the day after a teen was killed in a hit-and-run collision, Santa Clarita Valley detectives are still seeking the information necessary for them to close the case.
A $25,000 reward offered to anyone knowing the whereabouts of the culprit from the collision that ended the life of 15-year-old Desiree Lawson has failed to yield the person behind the crime as of Tuesday.
A year later, rosary beads still hang by a fence near where she was killed, and family have not received the closure regarding their dear relative’s life.
On Dec. 26, 2016, Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station deputies were dispatched to Sierra Highway to discover a disturbing scene.
Lawson was lying in the street. She was later transported to a hospital and succumbed to her injuries.
Rosalind Wayman, who is field deputy to Supervisor Kathryn Barger, told reporters shortly after the crash: “This loss has really shaken the community and Supervisor Barger is committed to bringing those responsible to justice.” Wayman went on to say it was a “heinous crime.”
Cameron Smyth, who was Santa Clarita’s mayor at the time, described the incident as “nothing worse for a parent than to lose a child,” at news conference in which the city added to the county’s reward for information leading to the arrest of the driver.
“A hit-and-run is one of the most cowardly acts that someone could perpetrate,” he said. “Particularly, when you leave a young teenager lying on the street on Sierra Highway.”
Detective Mark Cramer is looking for a late ’80s or early ’90s four-door sedan, possibly a Toyota Corolla, Honda Accord or Pontiac Trans Am with a low front end. The sought vehicle has been described as tan, gold, or dark-colored. The sedan has a lower front end and may have possible damage to the front end or hood.
