West Philadelphia

Car believed to be involved in hit-and-run that killed 14-year-old girl located

Dawn Watson, 14, was struck and thrown down Haverford Avenue by a hit-and-run driver on Sept. 26, 2024, Philadelphia police say

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A car involved in a hit-and-run that killed a teen girl in Philadelphia has been found, police say. Investigators have not said where the Mercedes Benz was found or if they have identified who was behind the wheel.

Philadelphia police have located the vehicle believed to be involved in a fatal hit-and-run that killed a 14-year-old girl in West Philadelphia on September 26.

The 2011 Mercedes Benz E350 was located on Monday, September 30, according to the police. No word on if the driver of the vehicle was found.

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Dawn Watson, 14, was crossing Haverford Avenue at 66th Street with her mother around 9:35 p.m. on Sept. 26, 2024, when a car hit the girl, Philadelphia police said.

The driver -- of what appeared at the time to be a dark-colored Mercedes-Benz sedan -- was speeding eastbound on Haverford Avenue and did not stop after striking the 14-year-old, Philadelphia Police Inspector Michael Gormley said.

"The sedan knocked the girl away from her mother," Gormley said. "And, unfortunately, she succumbed to her injuries."

The girl was knocked a significant distance, Gormley said. Investigators later said the car was going at a high rate of speed.

Officials said the scene extended over an entire city block.

“The mother was distraught, obviously," Gormley said. "The daughter was knocked a significant distance and the mother had a hard time locating her daughter. We found the mother hysterical a few blocks away.”

Police didn't reveal any more details about the suspected hit-and-run driver.

On Friday, the School District of Philadelphia said that Dawn was an eighth-grade student at Lewis C. Cassidy School which is just one block away from where she was killed.

A small memorial has been set up near the intersection where she was hit and killed.

The investigation into the crash is ongoing and police said further updates will be provided as information becomes available.

This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.

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