Destiny Villanueva: Bodycam footage shows LA teen fatally burned in crashed car driven by 14-year-old girl
Warning: Graphic content, readers’ discretion advised
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: In recently released bodycam footage, it is seen that a 14-year-old Los Angeles driver crashed a car during a police pursuit, resulting in the tragic death of 16-year-old Destiny Villanueva.
Soon after midnight on February 20, the teenagers' car was followed by police after it was noticed that the car's headlights were out.
What was captured on bodycam footage?
The police's decision to pursue the car and their valiant attempts to save its occupants were captured on new bodycam footage shared by Mirror.
"It's rainy conditions, we're not going to go in pursuit," one officer is heard saying to another in the video.
A few minutes later, security camera footage caught the Toyota Camry crashing at high speed into a traffic pole at Balboa and Ventura Boulevard, just before it caught fire.
Officers can be heard yelling, "Can you get out?" as they hurried to the car from nearby.
One of the girls is heard saying, "I can't get out, my legs hurting."
"You have to get out of the car, get out."
Another officer says "Get the driver out," before asking the passenger, "Is there anyone else in the car?"
"No," she responds after being rescued from the burning car.
Destiny Villanueva declared dead
But after telling the officers that it was just the two who were in the car, the girl later revealed that there was a third person inside the burning car by saying, "No, three."
Police tried everything to save the third passenger, but the car was completely burnt. The third passenger was identified as Destiny Villanueva, 16.
Firefighters claimed the teen's body was in the backseat beneath the driver's seat when they declared her dead at the scene. Both the driver and the other occupant of the car managed to escape with only minor wounds.
Authorities verified that the three individuals in the car were friends and lived close to one another. Additionally, they stated that following the collision, the driver "did not display any sign of impairment".
