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Students mourn death of 14-year-old in car crash

Christina Knox can't get an image out of her mind.

She lives on Camp Stewart Road in Mint Hill, and was looking out her window Monday afternoon, when she first heard a loud screeching noise.

"I just knew somebody was about to get in a crash," Knox said.

She was on the phone and looked outside to see an SUV flipping over into her back yard.

"I saw the young lady first, flying in the air, and I saw the other boys getting ejected from the vehicle," she said.

She dialed 911 and ran downstairs, staying on the phone with the dispatcher as she tried to see if everyone was OK.

"I just started praying, and I said, 'Lord, please don't let that baby girl die,'" she said.

Five students in the SUV were on their way home from Rocky River High School in Mint Hill.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said 14-year-old Tierra Warren was killed, and her brother Malcolm Warren, who was driving, was also ejected from the car and is charged with misdemeanor death by vehicle and reckless driving.

Police said he lost control of his Honda Passport in a curve when he overcorrected and the SUV rolled several times. The speed is still unknown.

Warren and three other passengers are all seniors on the school's football team.

Christian Allen Brown, Lamar Hood, and Aaron Cole had minor injuries and are expected to recover.

Students said Tuesday was emotional at school from the beginning of the day, when classes began with a moment of silence.

Joshua Davis said his first teacher didn't know what happened until the Tuesday morning announcements.

"One of my teachers, she had to walk out of the class for a little bit, because Tierra was in her first block," he said. "There were a lot of people crying."

"It's sad when someone so young loses their life because they have their whole life ahead of them," said Manuela Sackor, a senior at Rocky River.

Alexis Cummings is one of Tierra Warren's closest friends.

She saw her just before the accident, and never imagined it would be a final goodbye.

"I saw my friend and we walked out of class together, and she was headed to her brother's car, and that was my last goodbye," Cummings said.

At Friday's basketball game, some students will wear black or the United States flag to show support for Tierra Warren and the others recovering from the crash.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police are investigating the crash.