Family Seeks Justice After Teen's Fatal Collision With Police Car
WHO:
CBS News - Persephone Berger, 16, was the teenager who died after being struck by a sheriff's deputy's vehicle.
CBS News - Kimberly Cabuchola is Berger's aunt, who is seeking answers regarding the incident.
CBS News - The St. Francois County Sheriff's Department is involved in the investigation.
CBS News - The Missouri State Highway Patrol is leading an independent investigation into the crash.
WHAT:
CBS News - The deputy did not see Persephone Berger lying in the road and struck her while approaching the vehicle of the person who made the call, which had its hazard lights on.
CBS News - Berger was pronounced dead at the scene.
CBS News - The sheriff's department did not indicate if a cause of death had been determined and was still waiting on the results of the toxicology report.
CBS News - Kimberly Cabuchola stated that authorities initially told the family that Berger was involved in a hit-and-run.
CBS News - Berger was hit by a deputy's vehicle while lying in the road.
CBS News - The deputy was responding to a call about a person unresponsive in the road.
CBS News - Preliminary autopsy findings indicated injuries consistent with being hit by a vehicle, with no evidence of pre-existing injuries.
CBS News - The sheriff's office stated the deputy never left the scene and immediately notified his supervisor.
CBS News - The family alleges that authorities initially framed the incident as a hit-and-run.
WHERE:
CBS News - The incident occurred in St. Francois County, Missouri.
WHEN:
CBS News - The deputy arrived at the scene around 3:40 a.m. on a Saturday morning.
CBS News - The family learned about the incident days after it occurred.
WHY:
CBS News - Cabuchola expressed frustration over the delay in communication from authorities, stating, "They blatantly lied to us and said she was involved in a hit-and-run."
CBS News - The family is demanding answers regarding the delay in being informed about Berger's death and the circumstances surrounding it.
HOW:
CBS News - The Missouri State Highway Patrol is leading an independent investigation into the crash, while the sheriff's office is investigating the circumstances that led to Berger being found on the road.
CBS News - The Missouri State Highway Patrol is conducting an independent investigation into the crash, while the sheriff's office is investigating the circumstances leading to Berger being found on the road.
(UPDATED October 9, 2026 02:17 UTC)
A tragic incident occurred when a deputy struck Persephone Berger while approaching a vehicle with its hazard lights on, resulting in her being pronounced dead at the scene. The sheriff's department has not yet determined a cause of death and is awaiting toxicology report results, while family member Kimberly Cabuchola expressed frustration over initial misinformation that suggested Berger was involved in a hit-and-run. An independent investigation into the crash is being led by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, alongside the sheriff's office looking into the circumstances surrounding Berger's presence on the road.
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(UPDATED October 9, 2026 00:01 UTC)
A tragic incident in St. Francois County, Missouri, has left 16-year-old Persephone Berger dead after being struck by a sheriff's deputy's vehicle while lying in the road. Berger's aunt, Kimberly Cabuchola, is seeking answers about the circumstances surrounding the crash, which occurred as the deputy responded to a call about a person unresponsive in the road. The Missouri State Highway Patrol is leading an independent investigation into the incident, while the sheriff's office is looking into how Berger ended up on the road and the family's concerns about the delay in being informed of her death.