Family Of Man Killed By Kia Stolen By Teens Want Accountability: Cops

ROBBINS, IL — The family of a 70-year-old man killed on Sunday when his car was struck by a Kia that police said was stolen by three 13-year-old boys remains in a painful holding pattern while the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office determines what charges could be filed against the teens, local officials said on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, the family of Donald Carter called for justice and accountability two days after police said the car Carter was driving was hit on Sunday by the Kia. Carter’s Ford Taurus was hit by the Kia Sunday afternoon and the Robbins resident was taken to Advocate Christ Hospital, where he later died.

Police said that a Robbins police officer saw a Kia traveling down a local street and followed it and saw the car crash into the vehicle belonging to Carter. Robbins' police chief said on Tuesday that the incident was similar to others involving a pattern of crimes carried out by "Kia Kids" but declines to give specifics about the three boys involved in Sunday's incident.

The three teens were arrested at the scene but were later released to the custody of their parents, according to Sean Howard, the spokesperson for the Village of Robbins. Howard told Patch on Tuesday that the Robbins Department has filed the proper paperwork with the State’s Attorney’s Office for a search warrant but was told that there is no timeline for when charges could be filed.

Illinois allows juveniles over the age of 12 to be held by police for 24 hours. However, Howard told Patch on Tuesday that there are two or three processes that the State’s Attorney’s Office must go through to secure charges, and that process "was going to take longer than 24 hours,” Howard said.

“It’s going to take longer than two or three days,” the village spokesman said.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the State's Attorney's Office said that the investigation is ongoing with the Robbins Police Department and directed any requests for comment to that department.

Village officials met with Carter’s family on Tuesday following a news conference in which family members and police and village officials spoke. Mayor Darren Bryant said that the teens committed three crimes on Sunday, including stealing a vehicle, driving under the legal age, and taking the life of another human being.

“Somebody has to be held accountable,” the mayor said at the news conference, according to the Daily Southtown.

Robbins police, who were unable to gather enough evidence to charge the boys within 24 hours of the crash, have filed for a search warrant with the State’s Attorney’s Office, Howard said. Howard told Patch that there is at least one witness who saw the crash and others who are willing to come forward but said the State’s Attorney office has refused thus far to charge the teens as of yet.

He told Patch that Carter’s family “fully understands” the village’s frustrations and knows that there is nothing the police can do until the State’s Attorney’s Office does its part to move forward with the process.

But the family also wants answers, according to Carter’s niece Tracy Olawumi, who said at Tuesday’s news conference that the family is disappointed the three juveniles were released to their parents following Sunday’s crash.

“They killed someone in their recklessness,” Olawumi said at Tuesday’s news conference, according to the Daily Southtown. “We’re not going to sweep this under the rug. He was loved."