12-year-old girl in St. Louis dies as she is washed down a storm sewer

A 12-year-old girl returning home after celebrating her birthday at the movies died when her family’s car was washed away by the floods.

Aaleya Carter was found dead Saturday afternoon after being sucked into the drainage system as she and her family tried to escape the 1:30 a.m. deluge on Interstate 70 near St. Louis Airport. .

The rest of the group – Carter’s mother, brother and sister – survived the heartbreaking incident, which occurred as they tried to change direction to avoid massive flooding, according to police and family the girl.

“Instead of being able to exit on the driver’s side, they had to exit on the passenger side. I guess they didn’t know they were at the top of the drainage ditch, and when she got out she slipped inside the drainage, ”grandma Tanya Carter told KSDK.

“She was out this morning with her mom, brother and sister enjoying her birthday,” Carter told Fox 2.

Drivers reported flood waters reaching two feet during the storm.

“This vehicle attempted to enter the water and attempted to turn around and go up the Airflight route to avoid the flooded roadway,” a Missouri State Police spokesperson said.

“As they spun through the water, the current swept the vehicle off the roadway and into that concrete drainage opening.”

Residents gathered at the scene on Saturday as first responders scoured the sewer tunnels in search of the young girl. Her family embarked on a massive search which, at one point, sent them to one of the nearby airport terminals.

The preteen’s body was eventually found in a cove on the north side of the airport.