Midlothian 9-year-old girl run over by vehicle during attempted carjacking

MIDLOTHIAN, Texas - A 9-year-old Midlothian girl who was traveling with her family to a cheerleading competition was injured in an attack at a truck stop in Louisiana.

Someone tried to carjack the vehicle they were traveling in. Police said the carjacker's accomplice drove over the little girl in the parking lot.

FOX 4 has been in contact with the little girl’s family. They said they are focused on healing.

The three sisters were all set to compete in cheerleading. Two of them were still in their family’s vehicle when it was nearly carjacked. The youngest was driven over by the alleged getaway driver.

A 9-year-old girl from North Texas is recovering in a hospital after police in Minden, Louisiana — east of Shreveport — said she was driven over by a stolen truck that was driven by a teenager who was attempting to carjack the family’s vehicle just after midnight overnight Monday. 

Shelby Ayres’ family is a part of Liberty Gymnastics and Tumbling in Midlothian. 

Her father was driving her and her two sisters to Orlando, Florida, to compete in the All-Star World Championship Cheerleading Competition.

They stopped at a gas station in Minden, Louisiana. 

The chief of police there said the two older sisters stayed in their car, while Shelby and her father went inside.

"The dad was at the counter and he looked out and he saw a white pickup truck pull up and back up right in front of his vehicle, as like trying to block the vehicle in," Minden Police Chief Jared McIver said. "He saw a male subject step out of the passenger side of the truck, run around and hop in the driver’s side of his vehicle. The dad immediately bolted out of the store, running toward his car."

Shelby followed her father outside the store. That’s when police said the alleged getaway driver drove over her.

"The suspect in the truck just floored it and barreled over the 9-year-old," McIver said. "Runs over the little girl, takes off, picks the other suspect up, and then they flee the scene."

The chief said surveillance footage captured the horrific scene.

"It was a terrible, horrific site to watch," McIver said.

Police were able to locate and arrest both 16-year-old suspects.

Shelby has lacerations to her head, a couple of broken bones, and road rash. She went underneath the truck when it drove over her, with the tires somehow missing her. She's expected to recover, according to the chief.

"After going through that is a miracle," McIver said.

Names of the two 16-year-olds will not be released by police because they are minors, but bond is set at $2.5 million for the one who got into the family’s car and $3 million for the suspect accused of driving over the little girl.