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Police shut down rumor about the mom who drove a truck onto a Kansas soccer field, killing two
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Authorities have responded to rumors being spread online about a mother who fatally drove her pickup truck onto a soccer field.
On Saturday (October 17), the horrific incident at Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita, Kansas, left two dead and at least 10 others injured.
The deceased were named as six-year-old Cole Adrian and 35-year-old Nicholas Schafer.
Despite initially being taken into custody, police confirmed that the driver was released on Sunday afternoon, as they await toxicology results and a mechanical examination of the vehicle.
The driver was revealed to be a 34-year-old mother from Garden City, who allegedly screamed: “Oh my God, oh my God, what have I done?” as per the New York Post.
Bystanders pulled her from the Chevrolet pickup truck, which reportedly had one of her children sitting in the back while her other child was taking part in a match on a different pitch.
Now, authorities have been forced to address claims made about the mom who was at the wheel.
Wichita Police Department shuts down speculation
The Wichita Police Department (WPD) has released a statement in response to claims online that the mom was an illegal immigrant.
They said on Tuesday (October 20): "Based on information available to investigators, claims that the driver is in the country illegally are false.
"Additionally, she and her husband are not, and have never been, associated with the Wichita Police Department, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office, or any other law enforcement agency that we are currently aware of," they further clarified, in response to other claims.
The WPD continuted: "Investigators have found no documented criminal history for the driver. She had a valid driver’s license and no outstanding arrest warrants."
They further stated that in line with its practice, they have not publicly identified the driver, as she is yet to be arrested or charged.
"We understand the public’s interest and the concern surrounding this investigation," they stated, adding: "But spreading rumors and unverified accusations adds confusion, causes further pain for grieving families and harms people who have no connection to this case.
"We ask the public to rely on WPD’s official updates for confirmed information about the investigation," they said of rumors surrounding the 34-year-old woman who was at the wheel.
They then revealed that they released her without charges as 'investigators did not have probable cause to arrest the driver.'
Aftermath of the incident
Police Chief Joe Sullivan also said in the update: "We recognize that the decision the law and constitution required us to make on Sunday morning may not be popular.
"We swear an oath to support the laws of the State of Kansas and the Constitution of the United States and no one in the Wichita Police Department takes that oath for granted."
Authorities previously stated that 'investigators continue working to determine the circumstances that led to the crash', with it not publicly known if police have established whether the incident was deliberate or accidental.
At least 10 people were left needing medical attention, including three young children, a five-year-old girl, a five-year-old boy and a nine-year-old girl.