Devonte Hart Missing, After Family Dies In Car Crash, Teen Went Viral After Ferguson Protest

 

Devonte Hart, 15, who was seen hugging a police officer in a photo that went viral during 2014 protests over the police-involved shooting death of Michael Brown has been reported missing after several members of his family died in a horrific car crash. 

 

Five people have been confirmed dead after the SUV they were in went off a cliff near Mendocino in Northern California, on Monday, officials from the California Highway Patrol and the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office said in a joint press conference Wednesday afternoon. 

Search and rescue teams continue to look for Devonte Hart, 15, and his siblings, 16-year-old Hannah Hart and 12-year-old Sierra Hart, officials said. Their parents, Jennifer and Sarah Hart, and three of their siblings died in the crash. 

“We have every indication to believe that all six children were in there, however only three bodies have been recovered,” said Sheriff Tom Allman of Mendocino County. “We have no evidence and no reason to believe this was an intentional act. Certainly people are wondering what caused this.”

Still, the authorities did not discount the possibility that some of the children may have been staying with friends.

At a news conference on Wednesday, Sheriff Allman conceded that many questions remain: When did the “accident,” as he called it, occur? Why did the S.U.V. drive across at least 75 feet of dirt before plummeting into the ocean? Why weren’t there skid marks? Sheriff Allman said his office knew of no witnesses.

It doesn't stop there, 

One of the women who was killed in a crash along with most of her family members was accused of spanking her daughter so hard, the child had bruising on her torso and back.

The allegations, which come from a criminal complaint filed in Minnesota 8 years ago, center around 39-year-old Sarah Hart. Sarah, along with her partner Jennifer and three of their adopted children, was killed earlier this week in a crash in northern California. Authorities say the SUV they were driving went off cliff in Mendocino County.

Another thing reported in the criminal complaint was one of the couple's children told her teacher she had "owies on her tummy." When the teacher lifted her shirt, she saw the 6-year-old had bruises on her front side, from her sternum to her bellybutton, and on her back from midway down her back to the waistband of her pants.

You can read more about the criminal complaint by clicking here

Not only does this not look like an accident, and more like one of the mothers drove off the cliff, but sadly it doesn't look good for the other children and that includes Devonte. I would like to believe had him and his sister been at a friends house they would've been found by now since it would've been reported. But there's always hope. I'll come back and update since this is a developing story.