A 13-year-old girl is being hailed a hero for saving six other children from being hit by an out-of-control SUV in Brooklyn before she was struck and killed by the vehicle.
Those who knew Kira Goddard described her as a protector, so it was no surprise to them that the teen sprang into action when the SUV came toward her, her sister and several friends.
"That was like her," said Diane Jordan, a relative. "She always looked out for others. I'm going to miss her."
The children had been at the entrance of their apartment building in Brownsville when, at about 10:15 p.m. Saturday, they noticed the driver of a Range Rover approaching erratically down Pacific Street.
Goddard managed to shepherd the others into the building. But everything happened so fast, witnesses said, that Goddard had no time to save herself.
The SUV struck and pinned her, and Goddard died.
The teen's mother said she was in a state of shock. "I don't know what to say," Joyce Lovelady told NBC New York. "There are tears. But I can't cry. I'm very hurt. I am very, very hurt."
Local
A preliminary investigation showed that 44-year-old Sean Lewis of Brooklyn was driving the SUV when he struck three parked cars. He had reportedly been stabbed and was trying to get help.
Police say he backed up and hit another parked car, causing his SUV to flip toward the apartment building where the children were gathered.
Lewis suffered head injuries and was taken to the hospital, where medical staff discovered that he had been stabbed in the torso. He later died.
Friends said Goddard had been looking forward to starting seventh grade this fall. She turned 13 just a few months ago, but neighbors said she acted more like an adult, protecting everyone she knew.
