Gabby Ellis had attended Troy schools for much of her short life before moving into the Vandalia-Butler district. Both schools reeled from the news of her death.
“To say it’s been difficult for the staff would be an understatement. It’s been gut-wrenching,” said Maurice Sadler, principal at Troy’s Heywood Elementary, where Ellis was a student from kindergarten through fifth grade.
Miami County Sheriff’s Major Steven Lord said the crash appears to have been weather related.
“They certainly weren’t optimum conditions,” Lord said of the pavement on Nashville Road, where the crash occurred. “We can’t say for sure it was ice, but we know at least they were wet.”
Sunday was the first day of icy roadways this season, but winter weather is expected much of this week.
Mader was injured in the accident, but her injuries were not considered serious.
Gabby Ellis moved from Troy to Vandalia and attended Morton Middle School, where administrators provided crisis and grief counselors for students after the news of her death.
According to the district, administrators met with staff before the start of school Monday and later with student groups at the start of the school day. Also, after-school sports activities were canceled for Monday at the middle school.
“This is a very difficult time for the entire Vandalia-Butler community. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends at this very difficult time,” said Superintendent Brad Neavin in a release. “This is a tight-knit community and will experience this loss as any family would. We will be providing support to our students and our staff as we deal with this loss.”
A GoFundMe.com Memorial Fund was created around 7 p.m. Sunday with a goal of raising $15,000. By 4 p.m. Monday, the page surpassed its goal, raising $15,820. The page has since increased the goal to $20,000.
Sadler said he was not surprised at the outpouring from the community.
“It’s a giving community. Although it’s a difficult time, it’s these types of sad events that Troy rallies around each other and does what it can for each other,” Sadler said.
Lord said the Miami County Sheriff’s Office is still investigating the crash and will look to find what caused the vehicle to react to the pavement the way it did. Lord said it’s possible Lois Ellis could have had trouble straightening the car back out as they came out of a curve, a road that has “twisting curves.”
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