A jury in Chicago awarded nearly $80 million to the family of a 10-year-old girl who tragically lost her life during a police pursuit that resulted in a crash in 2020. The city had accepted responsibility for the incident leading to Da’Karia Spicer’s death, leaving the Cook County jury to determine the amount of compensation to be provided.

The city’s attorneys argued that the compensation should be around $12 to $15 million, but after closing arguments were presented on Wednesday, the jury decided to grant $79.8 million. Attorney Patrick Salvi II emphasized the devastating impact of this incident on the Spicer family, explaining that they had lost a “bright, talented and smart” young girl who brought immense joy to their lives.

At the time of the accident, Da’Karia was in a Honda Accord with her family when their vehicle was hit by a Mercedes, which was reportedly traveling at speeds of up to 90 mph (145 kph) during a police pursuit. According to the lawsuit, lawyers for the family stated that the police officers did not have a sufficient basis to initiate the chase after observing the Mercedes navigate through an alley.

“We fully acknowledge that police pursuits can sometimes be justified,” Salvi remarked, “but this particular situation did not meet that standard.” The tragic event unfolded while Da’Karia’s father was taking her to obtain a laptop intended for her remote learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In response to the jury’s decision, spokesperson Kristen Cabanban from the city’s law department stated that the city is currently evaluating the verdict and refrains from further comments at this moment.