Mother remembers daughter after she was hit, killed while walking on I-94

(WJBK) - Michigan State Police are investigating after 7-year-old DeSandra Thomas was hit and killed on I-94 in Romulus early Sunday morning.

Police say the child was seeking help for her father, who was involved in an alleged drunk driving crash in the area, when she attempted to cross the freeway and was hit by an oncoming driver. The victim’s mother devastated by the news.

The family has set up a GoFundMe account to help pay for DeSandra's funeral. Donate by clicking here.

“It’s a void that will never be filled, never be filled,” Sandria Burts said. “Anybody that she touched she was a blessing to them."

Sandria was at work Sunday morning when police delivered the news that her daughter was killed. It happened after her father, who was suspected to be driving drunk, hit an abandoned vehicle near Merriman around 3:30 in the morning. 

“They say my daughter tried to save her father, she ran to get some help for her daddy.”

DeSandra thought her father died, so she used a cell phone to text message 911 but couldn’t call. Police couldn’t find her though, even after pinging the cell phone. 

It wasn’t until a 911 call came in a short time later, a woman driving in the area told police she hit someone on the highway. It was DeSandra. 

“It’s straight emptiness. We are in shock but I know God is good and he is the only one that’s going to be able to bring me and my family through this,” Sandria said. 

Sandria didn’t want to comment on reports that her ex-husband had been drinking when he crashed. He’s in police custody, with charges pending. She wants to focus on her daughter’s life that was cut too short.

“She was a beautiful thing, she was on her way to the third grade. She was 7 years old, she would give you the shirt off her back. She was so helpful,” she said.

Sandria tells us she waited 20 years to have her daughter.

“They told me I could not have no kids. I became a foster mother, then I adopted my two children and I got pregnant with DeSandra,” she said.

She wants people to remember her child as strong and brave. 

“I love her and I miss her so much.”