The mother of Mia Kanu, a 23-year-old woman who allegedly jumped out of a moving car in the Detroit suburb of Southfield and eventually succumbed to her injuries, says she feels a sense of relief as authorities have arrested and charged the driver.
The Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office says Kentia Fearn, 23, faces charges for not stopping when Kanu jumped from her vehicle after the two left a party this summer.
Southfield Police found an unresponsive woman in front of Coach House Apartments on Providence Drive on June 3 at approximately 4:32 a.m.
The Tennessee State University veterinarian student was taken to Ascension Providence Hospital and placed on life support for two days. She was declared dead on June 5 but was kept on life support on June 8 while the hospital conducted a walk of life in honor of her organ donor status.
Fearn was charged on Sept. 15 with felony failure to stop at an accident resulting in death, punishable by up to five years in prison or a $5,000 fine. She also faces a misdemeanor for operating while intoxicated, carrying a potential 93-day jail sentence.
The Detroit woman was taken into custody on Sept. 19 and was arraigned the following day in 46th District Court in Southfield, when she was granted a $3,000 bond.
“The law requires anyone involved in an accident to stop and immediately report the accident to authorities. Leaving the scene when someone is seriously injured or dies is a felony. My office will hold those who do so accountable,” Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said in a statement.
Bianca Vanmeter, Kanu’s mother, said she was grateful that “someone is being held accountable” for her daughter’s death.
“Like, just having the ignorance for someone’s life, and somebody that you called a friend, you needed to be held accountable,” she told the Detroit Free Press.
Kanu’s family described her as kind, loving, sweet, and funny, highlighting her leadership as a student-athlete, particularly in volleyball and school activities.
Focused on her career, Kanu also worked as a veterinary assistant at Richland Animal Clinic in Tennessee during her time at TSU. Kanu had recently come home to Michigan from college for the summer break when she lost her life.
The police department posted a notice that they would be having a press conference – categorizing the incident as though Kanu “fell from a moving vehicle” and would be releasing more information regarding their investigation on Sept. 21.
