BURKE COUNTY, N.C. — Three young girls injured in a car crash while running a lemonade stand are receiving support from volunteers as their families await funds from a previous fundraiser.
The crash happened in June south of Morganton, and since then, the community has rallied to assist the families by organizing lemonade fundraisers and building ramps to help the girls safely enter their homes.
Channel 9’s Dave Faherty reported that although thousands of dollars were raised at one of the fundraisers, the families only received $25 each.
A police report has been filed for obtaining property by false pretenses, indicating potential mismanagement or fraud related to the fundraiser’s proceeds.
The crash happened on June 10 when two vehicles wrecked sending one into the yard where the girls had set up a lemonade stand.
The highway patrol said two of the girls were airlifted to a hospital with very serious injuries.
Volunteers from the Foothills Service Project built handicap ramps for the girls when they returned home from the hospital later in June.
‘Come clean’
The families said since then, they’ve also been in touch with the sheriff’s office after an organization called Luxury Lemons hosted a fundraiser at the fire department shortly after the wreck.
That lemonade sale raised thousands of dollars for the families, but they said they’ve only received $25 each.
“It makes me angry that she took a situation a very tragic situation to help her,” said Sierra Barnette, a victim’s mother.
The owner of Luxury Lemons told Faherty they have sent the families gifts through Amazon.
“We did mail the checks out but somehow they didn’t get them,” said Amber Wells, with Luxury Lemons. “We had to cancel them, and with any cashier’s check, (it)(takes up to 90 days.”
Brendletown Fire and Rescue officials said they were glad deputies are looking into the missing money and hopes the family gets what they deserve.
“I don’t know if she needs to go to jail about it or what, but she needs to come clean because it was all raised for these kids,” said Harry Brittain, with Brendletown Fire.
Faherty asked Luxury Lemons how much money they planned to send the families but have not gotten a response.
‘Been amazing’
Teachers from W.A. Young Elementary School helped with Friday’s fundraiser and they visited the third graders when they were in the hospital.
The families are thankful for the school.
“It gave her something to look forward to when they got home,” said Marie Shell, a victim’s grandmother. “They have been family to us. W.A. Young has been amazing.”
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- ‘It’s amazing’: Firefighters to host lemonade stand, raise money for girls injured in crash
- Three children hit by car at lemonade stand near Morganton, driver charged
Friday’s fundraiser got underway in the morning at Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church along Conley Road.
Their teachers set up a lemonade stand to help their families with medical expenses.
The teachers who organized Friday’s fundraiser said they will give the families the money later in the day.
VIDEO: Community builds wheelchair ramps for girls struck by car at lemonade stand
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