Family's Outrage After Police Blame Girl for Fatal Crash
The heartbroken family of an 11-year-old girl has launched a fierce condemnation of Las Vegas police, who accused their daughter of jaywalking after she was fatally struck by a car while walking home. Jayla Braxton, a pupil at West Preparatory Academy, was killed on Monday evening near the intersection of Lake Mead Boulevard and M.L.K. Boulevard.
The area is currently engulfed in heavy road construction, a factor her family insists is central to the tragedy. The crash occurred just before 5:20pm as Jayla was returning from cheerleading practice with a classmate.
Construction Chaos and a Disputed Crosswalk
In the aftermath, police stated that Jayla had been walking outside a designated crosswalk. Sergeant Rich Rundell publicly 'begged' parents to ensure their children understood and followed roadway rules. However, Jayla's loved ones have vehemently pushed back against this characterisation.
Her grandmother, Virginia Braxton, told reporters, 'Our children are taught well. But because this happened, you don't have the right to tell us how to train our children.' She and her husband, Earl Braxton, explained that Jayla was walking where a crosswalk had previously existed before construction work began. 'There used to be a crosswalk. It's no longer there,' Virginia stated, with Earl adding, 'Because of construction.'
A Community in Mourning and a Police Plea
According to reports, the 29-year-old driver, who was travelling westbound through the construction zone, saw Jayla step into the intersection and immediately attempted to swerve and brake to avoid the collision. The driver remained at the scene and did not appear to be impaired. Despite these efforts, the impact was fatal.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department shared a poignant video on social media platform X, showing the aftermath of the scene. The caption read, 'This cannot keep happening. This is a heartbreaking, preventable tragedy and another reminder of how quickly lives are taken on our roadways.' The post revealed that Jayla's death was the 141st traffic-related fatality in their jurisdiction in 2025.
Visuals from the scene were harrowing: yellow crime tape cordoned off the residential street, a gray Nissan sat with a shattered windshield, and a single small black-and-white Nike sneaker lay on the road next to a damaged pair of glasses.
In his statement, Sgt. Rundell focused on a plea for parental vigilance, saying, 'Parents, I beg you, please keep track of your kids, tell them the right things to do on the roadway. I'm tired of coming out on these calls where I'm having to report to parents that they just lost their kids.' The department urged both drivers and pedestrians to exercise extreme caution, emphasising that every choice matters.
Jayla's mother, Earlene Braxton, shared her profound grief: 'It's just hard for me to fathom that I can't hear her voice again. She's such a beautiful little girl, like the smile on her face would light up your life.' To help with unforeseen costs, the family has started a GoFundMe page, which had raised $6,195 of its $10,000 goal by Friday afternoon.
