Mom Finds Out Daughter Has Been Killed after She Drives past the Police Scene

While driving home from work, a woman crossed an accident site. Minutes later, she received a call and realized the police scene she left behind was where her 14-year-old daughter had just been hit by a car.

After a woman becomes a mother, her life revolves around her children. She goes above and beyond to keep her little ones safe and provide them with the best of everything. No mother can bear seeing her children in pain.

The woman in today's story had similar feelings. Her worst nightmare began when she learned that her daughter had an accident. She drove to the hospital, hoping her daughter would survive, but fate had other plans.

A Fun Day

14-year-old Courtney Ellis was a happy-go-lucky teenager. She was a loving daughter, a caring sister, an affectionate granddaughter, and a loyal friend. Courtney aspired to be a midwife, but something unexpected crushed her plans.

On September 19, 2020, Courtney went to the park with her 18-year-old sister Morgan. The sisters spent some time together before heading to the Ship Inn pub in Saint Helens, UK, where they met another friend.

They sat outside the pub while Courtney told her friend and sister about her recent breakup. Soon, Morgan suggested they head back home since it was around 9:30 p.m. Little did she know that Courtney would get hurt minutes later.

Driving Home

Meanwhile, Courtney and Morgan's mother, Angela Burke, was driving home from work when she passed by a police tape surrounded by multiple police vehicles. Burke felt sad for the victims because it seemed like they had met a serious accident.

As tears trickled down her cheeks, Burke prayed for Courtney while the doctors tried their best to save her.

Looking forward to seeing her children, Burke was driving towards her home when her phone rang. It was a call that no parent would want to receive. The caller told Burke that Courtney had been hit by a vehicle.

Bad News

After receiving the call, Burke realized that the police scene she had just passed was where her little girl was hit. She immediately drove towards the hospital, praying Courtney would survive her injuries. Burke recalled:

"When I arrived at the hospital, they told me they were doing everything they could, but she was in a bad way."

As tears trickled down her cheeks, Burke prayed for Courtney while the doctors tried their best to save her. A few moments later, the mother-of-four collapsed when the doctors told her Courtney was no more.

The Horrifying Moment

"I thought I was in a living nightmare, and I pleaded with the doctors to tell me it wasn't true," Burke said. Morgan was there when the horrifying accident happened. She clearly remembered how her younger sister was hit that night.

After Courtney talked to her friend and Morgan about her breakup, she ran across Blackbrook Road, where an overspeeding vehicle crashed into her.

Soon, police vehicles arrived at the accident site and began their investigation. They discovered that a Renault Megane had hit Courtney at around 9:45 p.m. The driver, Brandon Turton, was racing with another vehicle when the accident happened.

Overspeeding and Overtaking

Before hitting Courtney, Turton met Oliver McIntosh in the parking of Haydock's Tesco, from where they started racing with each other. Driving at dangerously high speeds while dodging other vehicles on the road, the pair returned to Tesco.

Six minutes later, the two cars again left the parking lot and competed while putting the passengers' lives in danger. While Turton took sharp turns and overtook other vehicles at high speeds, his friends told him to slow down, but he didn't listen.

One of Turton's friends was flirting with a girl in Turton's car. According to him, when Turton tried to woo her, she wasn't impressed. The friend added that Turton was apparently "angered or jealous" after the rejection while racing with McIntosh.

The Courtroom

Two years after the accident, on September 14, 2022, Courtney's killer stood in the courtroom while Burke and Courtney's father, Colin Ellis, shared their feelings. Collin said:

"That night changed every single member of my family forever."

"I have no choice but to carry on and live with the pain of losing her in such a horrible way," the devastated father added. He wished he had gotten time to say goodbye to his little girl who didn't get "the chance to live out her dreams."

The Devastated Mother

Meanwhile, Burke said her younger children, less than five years old, blew kisses on Courtney's photo on the wall before going to bed every night. The heartbroken mother looked at Turton and said:

"I will never forgive you, and I will never forget what you did. You thought you were above the law."

Burke said she would "never be the same mom" and shared that she was only living for her other children. Her life now revolved around her three kids, while she hoped Courtney was watching them from above.

The Punishment

At the end of the court hearing, Turton was sentenced to six years and nine months imprisonment. Judge David Potter said Turton was "going too fast to avoid impact" when Courtney stepped on the road. Potter added:

"Your dangerous driving cut short the life of a much-loved daughter, granddaughter, and sister."

While Courtney's family got justice, there was nothing they could do to reunite with their teenage girl. No punishment could bring Courtney back, but her family hoped she would now rest in peace.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the friends and family of Courtney dealing with the unbearable pain of this tragedy.

Click here to read another story about a Texas girl killed in a car crash on her way to a soccer game with her mom by her side.