Family and classmates today are mourning the death of 12-year-old Monica Pride who was killed Wednesday when the car in which she was riding slammed into a utility pole.
Although Panola County Deputy Sheriff Albert Perkins, who worked the one-vehicle wreck, refused to release the name of the victim, school and funeral home representatives confirmed the girl’s identity.
Details were sketchy as the deputy would not release the names or ages of anyone involved nor say much more than the auto, a 1995 Dodge Neon, struck a utility police. He did confirm all four involved were "juveniles."
The crash, which happened at 4:39 p.m., occurred on Curtis Road west of Macedonia Road, the deputy said. No one was ejected and seat belt use is part of the continuing probe by reconstruction experts at the sheriff’s department.
Monica, of 6884 Curtis Road, was the daughter of Willie James Chapman and Josephine Pride. Cooley’s Mortuary is in charge of services.
Perkins would not say how many of the youths were hurt or airlifted but said the driver, at the deputy’s last checking, was hospitalized in the Regional Medical Center at Memphis in "critical" condition.
Perkins was assisted by Deputies Otis Griffin, John Still and Zabe Davis, he said. Also at the scene were ambulance personnel from Tri-Lakes Medical Center and Emergystat. Also on hand were members of the Batesville Fire Department.
At Batesville Junior High Thursday morning, students and teachers were met with the news though many youngsters were aware of Monica’s death, said guidance counselor Sandra Wilson.
"She was such a sweet little girl and she had lots of friends," Wilson said.
Especially hard hit were her fellow band students in the first-period class, Wilson said.
"Mr. {William} McEwen was so good with them," Wilson said. "A lot of the children were upset. I was in the room and he was so kind and compassionate with the students."
McEwen is the head band director for South Panola Schools and like his assistants all work with each band class, Wilson said.
"When I got home Tuesday I read the paper and saw the memorial {for Christopher Todd]," she said. "I was hoping we’d get through this year without a student killed … and then this happened. It’s so sad and tragic."
Christopher and his mother, Amy Robison, were killed Dec. 18, 2001, in an automobile accident.
In addition to Wilson, counselor Nils Lundgren also meet with students and both remained available to the youngsters all day.
Teachers, Wilson said. "have been wonderfully supportive" and were keeping watchful eyes out for youngsters who needed help from the counselors.
There were meetings in the classrooms with students where counselors and teachers "tried to be factual" with the youngsters in an age group that Wilson described as "very emotional."
Black ribbons were placed on doors in a show of sympathy for the death of Monica.
