OTTAWA, Kan. — An Ottawa mother and her 11-year-old daughter are recovering after being hit by a car while walking to school Tuesday morning, a crash that also killed their family dog.
Kaytee and her daughter, Devan, were walking near Ottawa Middle School with their dog, Ossie, when they were hit by a vehicle driven by a 16-year-old Ottawa boy.
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“I looked both ways. I didn’t see the car really. I just saw it there, and then when we started walking past, they just started coming,” Devan said.
What began as a routine walk to school quickly turned into a traumatic morning.
“I completely blacked out, when I woke up, I just saw multiple police officers and firefighters,” Devan said. “Then when I saw my dog, I saw her breathing. And then when I saw my mom, she was bleeding out of her head.”
Police said both Kaytee and Devan suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to a hospital for treatment. The teen driver was also taken to a hospital and has since been released.
For the family, the most difficult part of the crash has been losing Ossie.
The dog regularly accompanied Kaytee and Devan on their walks to school.
“She would always be in front of us,” Devan said. “Every time she would see other people, she’d start barking at them. It was very adorable.”
The crash has also renewed concerns from neighbors about pedestrian safety near the school.
The location where Kaytee and Devan were hit does not have a flashing crosswalk signal or a painted crosswalk. Some residents say additional safety measures could help prevent future crashes.
“It took me and the city a whole entire year to get the flashing beacons that are now there at 15th and Ash,” said Alex Cain, Ottawa resident.
She believes similar improvements should be installed where the crash happened.
“They should have been here,” Cain said. “This could have avoided an accident.”
The flashing beacon at 15th and Ash is currently the only flashing school crosswalk outside Ottawa Middle School and Ottawa High School. It was installed last year after community requests for improved pedestrian safety after another crash involving a child.
While questions remain about whether more safety measures are needed, Kaytee said she is focused on healing and moving forward.
“Because forgiving is the only way to heal,” Kaytee said.
The Ottawa Police Department continues to investigate the crash.
