An investigation is underway in St. Francois County, Missouri, following the death of 16-year-old Persephone Berger, a student at West County High School, who was hit by a St. Francois County Sheriff’s deputy’s car early Saturday. Loved ones and the community are mourning her loss, gathering for a candlelight vigil on Monday night.
According to St. Francois County Sheriff Jeffrey Crites, deputies responded to a call around 3:43 a.m. Saturday regarding an unresponsive person lying on the road, later identified as Persephone. The person who made the initial call remained at the scene with their vehicle's hazard lights activated. As a deputy approached the location, Sheriff Crites stated, the deputy observed the caller’s car but "did not see Persephone on the road and struck her."
The deputy involved stayed at the scene and immediately notified their supervisor. Investigators have not yet determined why Persephone was lying on the road at the time of the incident.
St. Francois County Coroner Jason Coplin was called to the scene at approximately 4 a.m. He reported that Persephone sustained blunt trauma injuries. An official cause of death is pending further tests, though a preliminary autopsy conducted on Monday indicated no injuries other than those related to the crash with the deputy’s car.
To ensure an impartial review, the Missouri State Highway Patrol has been asked to conduct an independent crash investigation.
Sheriff Crites addressed some community concerns, stating that the crash was not the result of a police chase and that no deputies left the scene, refuting claims circulating on social media.
The tragedy has deeply affected the West County High School community. Friends of Persephone, including Emma Houser, Riley Skaggs, and Isaac Madden, shared their grief and memories. Houser described Persephone as a "lively, understanding person" who "never judged a soul" and was "just a really sweet person." Madden recalled Persephone as one of the first people he met after moving to the district, describing her as "very, very kind, cared about everybody, super funny," and "really smart" with a "bright future ahead of her."
On Monday, in honor of Persephone, students at West County High School wore pink. Skaggs noted a significant change in the school environment, stating, "Everybody was wearing pink today in honor of her. We hung up pictures, laughed, talked about stories of her, but the halls were extremely quiet. There was a big change." Madden added that the entire student body felt the weight of her death, with everyone focused on remembering and honoring her.
Friends remembered Persephone as a fan of Harry Potter, and Skaggs mentioned bringing in Harry Potter items, Alanis, and gummy clusters as part of their remembrance. She emphasized, "Her loss has made a huge impact on the West County family."
While many questions about the circumstances of the incident remain, the Monday night vigil provided an opportunity for the community to focus on Persephone's memory. Houser spoke about Persephone as an older sister figure, someone to lean on and talk to. Madden expressed his hope that Persephone's family knows "she was a great person and made the community come together... She’s very deeply missed."
Persephone's friends are organizing a T-shirt fundraiser to support her parents and three siblings. Additionally, a GoFundMe campaign has been established to assist Persephone’s family during this difficult time.
