St. Louis Teen Tragically Killed After Hit-and-Run Accident
A St. Louis family is devastated after 16-year-old King Thompson was struck by a vehicle in a hit-and-run incident on January 8. Thompson, described by his stepmother, LaRhonda Townsend, as a young man who loved people, tragically passed away a few days after the crash. His father, Dion Thompson, continues to grieve the loss of his firstborn son.
According to St. Louis Police, Thompson was hit by an unknown sedan on Martin Luther King Drive in North City. The driver fled the scene, leaving Thompson injured on the road. He was rushed to the hospital and initially released on January 11, but sadly passed away 24 hours later in his home. Authorities believe his death was caused by the injuries sustained in the crash.
Dion Thompson expressed his heartbreak, hoping that the person responsible would come forward. “They just left him there. I just hope they get caught and turn themselves in. Have a conscience,” he said, urging the driver to take responsibility. LaRhonda Townsend also appealed to the driver’s conscience, saying, “You know you hit something. You know what street you were on when you did it. You see the news, you see that it was a baby boy that had a family that loved him.”
In a heart-wrenching moment, Dion Thompson recalled his final conversation with his son. “He asked me, ‘Daddy, am I gonna heal?’ I told my baby, ‘Yeah,’ and he passed the next day,” he said.
The family is left to mourn the loss of a young man with big dreams, including hopes of going to college and playing professional football. As they plan for his funeral, a GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help cover expenses.
As investigators continue to search for the driver and await autopsy results, the family is left grappling with the painful loss of a son and brother they never expected to bury.
