That's horrible..

OMG... this is heart wrenching! Poor girl... poor parents.

What a tragic incident. No reason for it to happen.

Sad story but this article leaves me with many questions unanswered.
Article says the party was IN Monterey Park, her parents OF Monterey Park (meaning they lived in MP). If she didn't have cab fare, why didn't she CALL someone from 7-11? Plus, a cab will wait for his fare at the end of the ride? What was she doing ON the freeway by the 710? (now we're in East LA, not MP anymore). If she was struck by a JEEP, where's the Jeep's driver? Did the Jeep hit her on the shoulder of the freeway? Or was she walking in the middle of the freeway to be struck by a vehicle? How is El Monte involved? Just because they got a call of someone walking alone, in the middle of the night, why would any agency send a rescue vehicle? She was 'walking' not injured. Article says she was 'disoriented' BEFORE being stuck by a Jeep. Why was she disoriented? Was she drunk? If so, then the CHP IS at fault for not detaining/arresting her. I still am trying to figure out how El Monte PD is involved. El Monte is several miles east of where all this occured. How come Monterey Park PD isn't being sued? Or LAPD? Maybe because the parents live IN Monterey Park.
This article is VERY incomplete. Way too many unanswered questions. Yes, the outcome is very sad and I'm sure the parents are hurting. Poor girl was only 17, A MINOR. Why is a minor out alone that late at night? Aren't parents responsible for minor children? Yes, tragic and very sad, but I think this law suit is going to go nowhere. Sorry folks

Hi Krisen,

Great story. Hope all is well in CA.

This is Liane Jenkins.

I am a close friend of the family and this accident shouldn't of ever happened. I will not discuss the details of this but I can say the family had to do their own investigation to get to the bottom and it is disturbing. Had she received the assistance she was asking from the officers instead of telling her they couldn't help and calling her a cab, she would be here with us. The officers should of put her in their vehicle and called the parents or taken her where she had asked to be taken to, besides isn't there a curfue in L.A., these officer just didn't want to be bothered and didn't want to ask any question. Yes she didn't have the money to pay the cab and she proceeded to try to find her way from via the expressway, I know some might say "well the cab could of taken her home and paid once there" well remember she is a 17 yr old who might of not known this is possible. The sad part is the officers did not make an attempt to stop her from walking away knowing she didn't get in the cab and allowed her to walk into a neighborhood that was not safe specially at 1:00 am in the morning. THERE IS JUST NO EXCUSE, WE COUNT ON OUR OFFICERS TO HELP US WHEN IN NEED HELP SPECIALLY IF WE ASK FOR HELP, BUT THEY DIDN'T DO IT THIS DAY AND IT COST A LIFE. BESIDES THE OFFICERS WERE DOING NOTHING JUST HANGING AROUND 7-11.

It may not have been the officers job to drive her home but most certainly it was in fact their job to detain a minor well after curfew, in a well known gang area, and at the very least her parents when a minor child asks for assistance. If she didn't need the assistance why would she ASK to CPH officers for same. Sorry Jill its on the police department to assist a minor when in need. I'm also a personal close friend of the family and know many of the facts which I'm not at liberty to discuss at this time.

We as parents tell our kids regularly "if you need help ask a police officer" she did just that and was turned to a cab driver, a STRANGER whom we regularly tell our kids not to trust.

The 7-Eleven store has the surveillance video where Sophia asked for assistance. When a minor needs assistance and asks for assistance its a Policeman's job to "serve and protect" here this was not done. They should have detained her as she was a minor out after curfew, clearly upset and ASKED them for a ride home. The officers duty was to take her into custody/detainer her and call her parents. And Jill if alcohol was involved then even MORE reason to take her into custody and call her parents.

I agree fully with you Jill. The parents let their minor daughter go to a party in a bad area without a cell phone and without $10 and they blame the city of El Monte for having a daughter that broke the law and did her drinking and drugs at that party.

Yes, I agree police didn't do their share. They should have arrested the underage drinker, but then the parents would be suing them for that.

Parents need to take responsibility. Know where your minor kids are and make sure they have the transportation they need. Don't blame others, when its your fault. Mourn your tragedy and be sad you weren't a better parent.

Sad for the girl, but she also was old enough to know better.

Your right parents need to take resposiblelty for their children at all times however this was a different situation. Sophia was scheduled to be picked up from the home of the party, Sophia abruptly left the party because of reasons that are still under investigation she was scared and ran nonstop, she left her phone and money behind... unfortunately out of fright she ran the wrong direction. Sophia would be here today if only one of the officers would have asked one simple question... “How old are you” under obligation they would have detained her until a parent was reached. These are recent facts from the sheriff’s investigation.

RL
5:11 am on Sunday, May 29, 2011
Just woke up thinking about Sophia, who had passed on May 29, 2010 a year ago at around 1 a.m. Sophia's situation was already dangerous at point A at the 7Elven or she would have not asked the police for help which resulted in her death at point B. Therefore it could have been prevented if the police would have done their job to render assistance to a person in danger which resulted in negligent homicide to go to the bottom line. The police was present in this moment and not the parents and the police did not help her when she asked them for help and needed it.

Statistics prove that 3/4 of women are scared to walk alone at nights because of sexual harassment, rape or kidnapping, besides the crime invested area Sophia was walking in the dark streets of East L.A.
Why was her jacket and her purse found behind the fens on the shoulder of the 60 fwy west ? And why was another girls body found on the shoulder of the fwy in the same area in East L.A. not to long ago ?

The police should receive better training as just to give out tickets to make money for the city, but they can't "help and protect" a little girl being in a panic state of mind, intoxicated, and walking alone at night in danger in East L.A. without a lifeline and being lost not finding her way home ?
Hope I answered some of the "folks" comments. It was not the parents fault, they were not present when Sophia was in this dangerous situation, but the police was and they let her go.

This story suggests that if Cops are not TRAINED to do a certain job by the Police academy
they are like children not able to tie their own shoes!

SHAME ON THE HIGHWAY PATOL MORONS that allowed Sophia Salazar to be killed needlessly!
I hope Sophia's grieving parents sue the crap out of the CHP for hiring such stupid morons on the force!
This isn't the first time moronic police did this to a young girl.

Rest in Peace Sophia! You were a beautiful and loved young girl! Bless her wonderful parents!

Yes, this was a tragic accident and Sophia paid dearly for it. However, one must look at what is important here and that is for it not to happen again. Don't let Sophia's tragedy go unexamined. This needs to be made right and the only way for this to happen is by learning from it. Sophia was an angel sent to all of us to show us that we must pay more attention to one another. The Police made an error but so did everyone who saw what happened that night at the party. Why didn't anyone notice she was alone or unable to help herself. Have we all been unsynthisized in life where we don't notice anything and anyone or offer our assistance as human beings helping one another. All of the other teens or adults at that party that noticed Sophia going out of that party without assitance should be ashamed of themselfs. Speaking as a parent of young teens one cannot be there every minute watching everything. Although we would like to be but cannot and can only hope that there are still people out in this world that care and step in when they see something is wrong. Shame on all who were witness to this beautiful young girls tragic turn of events. INCLUDING THE CHP!!!!! What has this world turn into?????