Mother is hit and killed while trying to rescue her 6-year-old child from a stolen car

A single mother was struck and killed by her own car while trying to rescue her six-year-old son after her car was stolen with his son inside, according to authorities and officials in Ohio.

Alexa Stakely, 29, worked for a school district as a speech therapist and had a second job as a waitress, Columbus police said.

Shortly before 1:30 a.m. Thursday, after her shift as a waitress ended, Stakely went to pick up her 6-year-old son from the babysitter’s house, police said.

Stakely placed her sleeping child in her 2022 Honda SUV, which was parked in front of the babysitter’s house, and then started the car, police said.

“She then realized she needed something from the babysitter she had met just inside the front door,” police said in a statement. “As she returned to her vehicle, it began to back into the street. Stakely was running toward her Honda when she was struck and thrown onto the sidewalk.”

According to police, Stakely succumbed to her injuries several hours later.

Stakely’s Honda was “abandoned a short distance away” and the 6-year-old was found unharmed in the car, police said.

“She died heroically trying to save her six-year-old son,” said a statement from Canal Winchester Schools, where Stakely worked as a speech therapist for a preschool program.

“Alexa had a great passion for children and speech therapy. She was smart and compassionate and cared deeply about helping children,” the district said.

“She was a great mother who was incredibly dedicated,” the district added.

No arrests were made.

After Stakely was hit, two men were seen running past her as she lay injured in the street, police reported. They matched the description of two men who were in a group of people who were searching apartments earlier in the night, police reported.

Authorities ask anyone with information to call police at 614-645-2558 or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-8477.