Fundraiser launched to help bury 3-year-old Derby girl killed in ‘horrible accident’
Police have released the name of a 3-year-old girl killed Monday night when a van careened into a vehicle at a QuikTrip while her mother was pumping gas, causing an explosion and fire.
Harper Ivy, who was in the parked vehicle, died in the crash and fire.
Her mother, Stephanie A. Corey, remained in critical condition in the Ascension Via Christi St. Francis burn unit Tuesday morning.
A fundraiser has been launched to raise money for funeral costs and medical expenses.
The cause of the accident is still being investigated, Derby police chief Robert Lee said. There is no indication the driver of the van, a Derby man in his 60s, was under the influence of anything or that any medical issue was involved, Lee said.
He added the findings of the investigation would be turned over to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office to decide whether to consider charges.
Around 5:30 p.m., Corey was pumping gas at the QuikTrip near K-15 and Meadowlark when the man, heading east on Meadowlark, left the roadway, drove into the QuikTrip property and then hit the vehicle while Corey was pumping gas with Harper inside.
The car then pushed into the pump, causing an explosion and a fire. Harper died at the scene.
A friend of Harper’s father, who set up a GoFundMe to help with funeral and medical costs, said the family did not want to talk right now. The fundraiser said Harper was “his whole world.”
An update on the fundraiser Tuesday said Corey is stable and her levels are good.
“Will be in a induced coma for at least 3 weeks,” the fundraiser says. “Lots of skin surgeries. Foot is really bad and may be lost.”
Photos on Facebook showed Harper had bangs and a big smile. A coworker of Corey, who shared the fundraiser, called it a “horrible accident” in a Facebook post.
The fundraiser had more than $27,000 of the $50,000 goal just after noon on Tuesday. It can be found at gofundme.com/f/help-for-brandon-ivy-family.
