COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — A Columbia police officer who struck and killed a 4-year-old girl outside a high school was charged Monday with involuntary manslaughter.
Andria Heese, 28, was charged in the Jan. 4 death of Gabriella Curry outside Battle High School, The Columbia Daily Tribune reported.
Authorities have said the girl’s mother, Cheyanne Curry, was a bus driver for the Columbia school district and had taken Gabriella along on her afternoon route.
Heese, who was assigned to the police department’s community outreach division, drove her police cruiser onto a sidewalk to get a better view of students boarding the bus when she struck the girl.
Heese, a five-year police veteran, has been on administrative leave since the girl’s death.
The charges were filed by Camden County Prosecuting Attorney Heather Miller, who is a special prosecutor in the case.
Gabriella Curry’s parents reached a $3.4 million settlement of wrongful death claims against the city in May and a $125,000 settlement with with Columbia Public Schools in August.
Online court records do not list an attorney for Heese.
