A 17-year-old girl who died in a car crash in Peoria’s East Bluff is being remembered as a “bold, confident, funny, compassionate” teenager with “limitless” dreams.
Isis Horn died on July 23 after a vehicle she was a passenger in was hit at the intersection of East McClure and North Central avenues by one fleeing a Peoria traffic stop. In an obituary published by Walker Funeral Service and Chapel, Horn’s family remembered her as someone who had the kind of personality “that could brighten even the darkest room.”
“To know Isis was to love her,” the obituary said. “She had a heart that welcomed everyone and a spirit that made people feel seen, valued, and appreciated. Whether she was making someone laugh, offering words of encouragement, or simply showing up with her beautiful smile, she left an unforgettable mark on every life she touched.”
Horn would have been a senior at Peoria High School this upcoming year, with the obituary noting that she played a wide range of sports, including volleyball, softball, basketball and track and field. She also worked at a local Long John Silver’s restaurant as a cashier, remembered for providing a “warm personality” and a “welcoming smile” for customers and co-workers, according to the obituary.
Horn had a passion for cosmetology, with hopes of using her creativity in the future to provide confidence to others. The obituary also noted Horn’s affinity for helping children, and she enjoyed her role as a babysitter.
“Her patience, nurturing spirit, and unconditional love made every child she cared for feel safe, special, and deeply loved,” the obituary said.
The obituary said that her mother, Iesha, built a bond over her 17 years through “unconditional love, laughter, and countless cherished memories that will live on forever,” being someone who loved her daughter with “every piece of her heart.”
Horn is also survived by her grandfather, Marcellous Jenkins and his wife, Erica; her brothers and sisters; her aunts, Patricia Moton, Atlantis Baker and Cora Sanders; her great-aunt, Medeese Lucas; and her cousins, Demarion, Khmrn, JaVaughn, Chase, Truce, Aiya, and Jujuan Jr.
Funeral services are set for Aug. 6 at 12 p.m. at the Church of The Living God in Peoria. Visitation will be at 11 a.m. until the service that day.
Fundraiser set up for family of Isis Horn
Local activist Chama St. Louis-Boone has set up a fundraiser via the website SpotFund, seeking to raise $10,000 for funeral and memorial expenses. As of Thursday afternoon, $1,295 have been raised toward the goal.
The fundraiser expanded on many of the notes provided in the obituary, saying that Horn had dreams of helping others, with a goal of becoming a pediatric nurse.
“Her compassion for others was reflected in the love she had for her nieces and nephews,” the fundraiser said. “They were her pride and joy, and she treasured every moment she spent with them.”
The fundraiser also noted how difficult the current situation was, noting that no parent ever wanted to bury their child this early in their lives.
“Isis was deeply loved, and her loss has left an indescribable void in the lives of everyone who knew her,” the fundraiser said.
What happened in crash that killed Peoria teen
According to the Peoria Police Department, a patrol officer was conducting a traffic stop at 1:18 a.m. on July 23 at the intersection of Abington and Monroe streets, making contact with the driver of a vehicle. That vehicle fled the scene and was found about one minute later involved in a crash with another vehicle, with Horn and an 18-year-old man inside.
The Peoria Fire Department said that Horn had no pulse, with CPR immediately started before she was transported to OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center. She died at 5:05 a.m., despite “aggressive resuscitative efforts,” according to the Peoria County Coroner’s Office.
According to the fire department, witnesses said one of vehicle had been speeding along McClure Avenue when it struck the passenger side of the other. The 18-year-old driving the vehicle with Horn was also hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, while the passenger of the suspect vehicle was taken into custody and taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
On July 24, police in suburban St. Louis apprehended 36-year-old Shamarr A. Greenlee after a warrant had been issued for his arrest for leaving the scene of an accident involving a death by the Peoria County State’s Attorney’s Office. He is currently being held at the Peoria County Jail awaiting trial.
Illinois State Police is currently investigating the crash.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Peoria teen killed in crash left ‘indescribable void’ for family, friends
Reporting by Zach Roth, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Zach Roth, Peoria Journal Star | USA TODAY Network
