A man has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of a Wichita teenager identified in the media as Brianna Ibarra, 13, who was dragged for miles during an attempted car theft.
PEOPLE magazine reported Ibarra became entangled in a seat belt and was dragged for miles through an open car door after Kevin Michael James Palmer hopped into the vehicle she sitting in. Ibarra was in the parked SUV waiting for her family to get food inside a restaurant when her family's Ford Escape was carjacked, allegedly by Palmer.
Palmer, 34, was charged with murder and felony theft.
The incident happened shortly before noon Saturday. Witnesses dialed 911 when they saw Ibarra caught in a seat belt any trying to escape. Police say Palmer was arrested as he ran away from the SUV.
Sympathy and support poured in for Ibarra's family.
In her obituary, it was written that the teen was "a beautiful soul that was weird in her own way, loved to create, easy and fun to be around, she was bright, carefree, straightforward, family oriented, strong, would do anything for family, affectionate."
A memorial fund for Ibarra's family has raised more than $45,000.
"We have had an overwhelming amount of support from family, friends, and the local community since this fundraiser for Brianna Ibarra aired on the KAKE news channel," a family member wrote on the Go Fund Me. "The family would like to send a HUGE THANK YOU to all the donors thus far and the donations that continue to come in and for all the kind messages that have been received."
