15-year-old suspect in fatal crash involving stolen cars was supposed to be under GPS monitoring

A 15-year-old suspect in a fatal crash involving two stolen cars was supposed to be home and on GPS monitoring after an alleged string of crimes in late April.

The 15-year-old girl already was facing numerous charges before the Thursday morning crash that killed her teenage stepsister in Northeast D.C., authorities said.

Now the teen suspect faces five more charges, including armed carjacking and conspiracy to commit armed carjacking.

According to court testimony, a group of nine people were involved. Both cars allegedly were carjacked from rideshare drivers. Some carjackers now use rideshare apps to lure victims, police said in court Friday.

At least one gun was used, investigators said.

Police said one of the cars was stolen from the 3700 block of Southern Avenue SE in D.C. about 12:20 a.m. Thursday.

The other was stolen from Prince George's County just before 7 p.m. Wednesday, police said. A rideshare driver said her car was hit from behind, and when she got out to inspect the damager, several people from the striking vehicle took her car with her passenger inside. That passenger was dropped off uninjured about 30 minutes later.

The 15-year-old girl had only been home from Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services custody for six days. After the alleged spring robberies, a judge ordered her to be held in a secure group home, but when one couldn’t be found for her, the judge sent her back to her parents under electronic monitoring.

But the batteries for the GPS died, and the girl’s parents didn’t know she was out of the house, court services said in court.

An angry judge wondered out loud why DYRS shouldn’t be held in contempt of court for not being able to place the girl in a secure group home. Judge Andrea Hertzfeld said it’s a persistent issue.

The girl’s attorney said she is not guilty and was not involved.