13-year-old dies after carjacker steals minivan with 4 kids inside, California cops say

A family of six stopped at a tortilleria in Pico Rivera, California, Sunday — and the parents left their four kids in the still-running minivan while they went to get food, KTLA reported.

That’s when the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department says a man jumped into the driver’s seat and took off, according to KNBC. A 13-year-old girl inside the minivan was later ejected from the car and killed, KABC reported

Jose Elias Aguilar, 26, of Los Angeles, is accused of stealing the family’s minivan around 2 p.m. Sunday after the parents went inside the restaurant, according to KTLA.

“Immediately afterwards, the side doors to the van slid open and the 18-year-old female briefly fought with the suspect before she jumped from the van,” the sheriff’s department said in a statement, according to KNBC. “At about the same time, the 11-year-old male was able to jump out of the van to safety with both sustaining minor injuries.”

Police say the carjacker drove at high speed west on Whittier Boulevard and an 8-year-old boy was “forcefully ejected” from the van while Aguilar was driving between 45 and 50 mph, KTLA reported. Aguilar sped up to about 55 or 60 mph down Whittier, authorities say, and 13-year-old Isabella Cortes was ejected from the van and died, according to KABC.

Aguilar slammed into another car a few miles later, deputies say, KNBC reported. The van eventually stalled and Aguilar got out of the car, according to KTLA.

Aguilar is accused of then trying to steal another car “with the driver’s wife and child inside,” KABC reported. That driver fought Aguilar before street vendors helped detain the suspect, according to KNBC.

Authorities took Aguilar into custody for suspicion of murder, kidnapping and carjacking, KTLA reported.