Family looks for answers in death of teen
Molly Burgess was a week away from her 18th birthday when her young life was tragically cut short in a hit-and-run crash that has left her family and investigators searching for answers.
Burgess, of Columbia, died shortly after being found about 5:30 p.m. Sunday lying in a ditch along the west shoulder of Highway 49 near O’hara Drive in Sonora with major injuries that California Highway Patrol suspect were the result of getting hit by a vehicle that fled the scene.
The CHP and her family are now asking for anyone who witnessed anything or has any information regarding the incident to come forward.
Tammy Snell, Burgess’ mother, said her daughter was found by a couple who drove past and turned around after seeing her along the side of the highway. Snell said she died about 45 minutes later while medical personnel prepared her for transport via helicopter from Columbia Airport to UC Davis Medical Center.
“Most people aren’t even heartless enough to leave a dog (to die on the side of the road), let alone a human,” Snell said.
The last time Snell saw her daughter was Saturday night when she took her from their home near Columbia Airport, less than four miles from the crash scene, to spend the night at a friend’s in the 49er RV Ranch on Italian Bar Road.
Burgess left her friend’s place about 3:30 p.m. Sunday, but no one knows why or where exactly she was headed. She had her phone, but left behind her backpack and purse. Snell suspects she may have been going to help someone she knew who was in need, because that’s the type of thing she would do.
“If Molly was headed to you, let the people know. Let the officers know,” Snell said. “It’s not for me that I need to know where Molly was headed. It doesn’t really matter to me. What matters is finding out who did this. They’re going to do it to someone else.”
People who knew Burgess described her as having a spirit whose maturity well exceeded the 17 years she spent on earth.
Burgess was attending
classes at Columbia College while preparing to take her early-exit exam from high school and planned to go college hopping this summer with one of her best friends in hopes of finding a place that would set her on a path to achieving her dream of becoming a counselor for abused children.
“By the age of 10, she could cook a complete meal from scratch for at least 20 people,” Snell said. “She was always loving and caring and energetic and fiery.”
One of Snell’s favorite memories of her daughter that exemplified was when Burgess was 4 years old and wrestling with her older brother, who pleaded with her, “I give, I give,” which she followed up with a clothesline and responded, “You don’t give until I say you give.”
Burgess was one of 13 children, though she was Snell’s first biological daughter.
“She was also an artist who drew and created sculptures and painted,” Snell said. “She spent time with her siblings, like drawing with them and showing them how to draw and coloring with them and showing them how to paint.”
In addition, Burgess enjoyed singing and writing songs and hoped to audition for the TV show “The Voice.”
Snell said her daughter used songwriting to heal from past struggles and read from one of her recent originals that went,
“You thought you could break me, you thought you would win, but I am a warrior, I will not bend. I am a warrior, it’s my life, I will mend.”
Burgess also was committed to her Christian faith and attended Hilltop Church in Sonora, where she was going to sing in the choir.
“Her faith was what kept her going,” Snell said. “Her knowledge that, even though bad things happen to people, God is a God who cares for us and loves us and orchestrates comfort for us. She was part of that comfort for everyone she came into contact with.”
Snell said that Burgess was born in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, and lived there on and off until she was 14 and moved to Tuolumne County, though the amount of lives she touched in that time is evident by the outpouring of support her family has received from people in the community.
Burgess was homeschooled by her mother through the first six grades and attended Sonora High School as a freshman and sophomore.
A vigil has been set up where she was found dying underneath the sign for St. James Episcopal Church three quarters of a mile away, including a poster covered in messages from some of the many friends she made in the community.
“I can really remember her always being there for me, even if it involved her arguing with her mom about me,” said one of Burgess’ best friends, Hannah Bodle, 17, of Chinese Camp. “She’d always be there for me literally no matter what.”
Burgess is survived by her mother, stepfather Joey Violett — whose last name she was soon planning to take — and her 12 siblings: Anthony Snell, 32; Joseph Kamai V, 28; Quinn Burgess, 27; Mya Violett, 20; John Avery, 20; J.J. Violett, 16; Ethan Burgess, 15; James Burgess, 14; Aidan Burgess, 11; Morgan Burgess, 9; Hailey Violett, 9; and Maggie Mae Burgess, 6; as well as her grandparents, great-grandparents, and numerous other relatives.
The family plans to hold a memorial for her on St. Patrick’s Day, her favorite holiday, because of the pride she took in her Irish heritage.
There were still no arrests related to Burgess’ death as of Thursday, though CHP Officer Steve Machado said the agency was following up on a number of tips and pieces of information they’ve received from people since putting out a call for the public’s help on Wednesday.
Machado said anyone with information is still strongly encouraged to reach out to the Jamestown CHP office and can remain anonymous by calling (209) 984-3944.