A weekend drive home ended in tragedy when Mike and Mella, along with their 9-year-old daughter Elina, died after their car struck a truck illegally parked on a highway shoulder without hazard lights.
Rescue workers found Elina in the back seat, still clutching her stuffed bear. Friends say she was a bright, joyful child who loved baking, reading, and dancing. Her parents were known for their warmth and devotion to her.
The truck driver has been arrested for gross negligence. The crash has fueled national calls for stricter road safety laws, with over 75,000 people signing a petition demanding justice.
A roadside memorial now marks the spot, a reminder of a family that “did nothing wrong — they just never made it home.”