Family of 15-year-old killed in Burnsville crash seeks answers

The family of a Burnsville teenager killed in a crash Wednesday wants answers as to what happened.

Police said 15-year-old Brilly Cabrera was riding in a car that hit a tree in the median of East Burnsville Parkway near Portland Avenue around 12:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Cabrera was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver, a 15-year-old boy, was taken to the hospital but is expected to be OK.

“They have so many questions and they’re hoping the investigation can finally just answer those and put it to rest,” said the victim’s sister Andrea Cabrera, translating for her father Mauricio, who is originally from Ecuador and speaks Spanish. “He doesn’t know why life is so unfair that they took his angel.”

Mauricio Cabrera told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS he dropped Brilly off at a sleepover Tuesday night and does not know why she left.

He identified the driver of the car as a friend of their daughter.

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS saw investigators at the scene Thursday, who appeared to be reconstructing the crash.

We asked a spokesperson for the police department if speed, weather or substance use may have played a role in the crash but so far have yet to receive a response.

Friends and family of the victim left flowers at the crash site.

Through tears, Brilly’s family described her as beautiful, smart and full of joy.

“It’s hard for her to accept that she’s not here anymore. She feels like at any moment she’ll walk through that door, like she’s at school and she’ll be back soon,” said Andrea Cabrera, translating for her mother Lilia Carchi, who is also originally from Ecuador.

The Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District told 5 EYEWITNESS News it mobilized its crisis response team Wednesday to help students and staff cope with the tragic crash.

Cabrera’s parents are now planning her funeral, which they expect to be open to the public.

“I just hope she knows it’s going to be hard without her. So many things I wanted to show her. Such a beautiful angel,” Andrea Cabrera said. “15 years was not enough time. She’s going to be forever 15.”

There is a GoFundMe page set up to help the family with funeral expenses. Click here to donate.