Girl, 10, dies after being struck by two vehicles after school

As students and staff at Mary Moore Elementary School in Arlington head into the weekend, there's a piece of joy missing from their classrooms.

A fifth-grader, 10-year-old Liyah-Grace Holsey, died Thursday after police said she was struck by two vehicles while walking home from school.

[She was] someone who was a friend to a lot of people and joyous. She loved to sing, she was in our choir and she never missed a choir practice.

Wendy Baker, principal

Arlington Police were called to a vehicle crash involving a pedestrian child at the intersection of Park Springs Drive and Sublett Road at about 4 p.m., about a half mile from the school.

Based on the police's preliminary investigation, it appeared the little girl was trying to cross from the north side of Sublett Road to the south side when she was struck. Further investigation revealed she was hit by two vehicles while attempting to cross the road.

Holsey was transported to a hospital in critical condition and died at about 9 p.m.

“Sadly, late last night, we learned that she had passed away, due to her injuries," said Sgt. Courtney White with the Arlington Police Department.

Some community members said they've had traffic safety concerns about the area.

“It’s not a very safe intersection," said Bryan Seely, who lives near the scene.

He wasn't home Thursday afternoon but said he's seen at least four crashes in the one-and-a-half years he's lived there.

"A lot of fast-moving cars, a lot of street-racing," he said.

But police did not say that the drivers in this case were speeding.

“Out of respect for her family, it’s a lot of information regarding the investigation that we won’t release concerning speed or anything like that," White said.

White said the drivers in this case had a green light and that they stopped after the crash. The drivers have been cooperating in the investigation and no criminal charges have been filed in the case.

Meanwhile, students and faculty at Mary Moore Elementary are now facing an unexpected test: Grief-- including its principal, who was at the scene shortly after the crash.

“We had a parent who had driven by and saw that there was an accident that had happened not too far away from here," said Baker, who ran out there with her assistant principal.

She soon realized it was one of her students and accompanied Holsey to the hospital.

“I think when you find out any of your children — as a parent, or as a principal, you are devastated. It is the worst nightmare that you can imagine," she said.

Baker said extra counselors will remain at the school in the days ahead, as they work together with students to recover some joy.

“She had a big impact on them, and you can tell, when they heard this, whether they heard this at home or here at school, they were devastated," Baker said.

Mary Moore Elementary released a statement on Facebook Friday saying:

"Words are not adequate to describe the grief everyone in the Arlington ISD feels today, especially our students, staff and families at Mary Moore Elementary School, after learning that Liyah-Grace Holsey, a 5th grader at Mary Moore, died after being struck by a vehicle while crossing the street after school yesterday. Additional school counselors will be present at the school today and in the days ahead to comfort students and staff as they learn about this tragic loss. Liyah-Grace was a wonderful student who loved to sing so much that she joined the choir and never missed a practice. She will be deeply missed and never forgotten."

Baker said they plan to hold some type of memorial for Holsey, but for now are giving her family time to grieve.