Mother Killed While Saving Daughter From Oncoming Car

Colleen Segbers, 33, had 'less than a second to react' before pushing her 10-year-old daughter out of the path of an oncoming car Monday evening in St. Louis, said a family friend. The self-sacrificing mother died at the scene.

The Missouri mother sacrificed her life to save her daughter when she pushed the child out of the way of a moving vehicle, according to fire officials.

Colleen Segbers, 33, was walking with her 10-year-old daughter, Gwen, toward a Walgreens store Monday evening when St. Louis authorities say a car suddenly accelerated in their direction. 

"The mother was actually able to push the child out of the way of the vehicle as they were trying to avoid being hit," St. Louis Fire Captain Gregg Favre told KSDK. "The child was not struck, however she is pretty upset given the circumstances here." 

A claimed family friend of Segbers, who has set up a GoFundMe account for the victim and her family, said the mother had "less than a second to react, but managed to move Gwen out of the way before she was struck and pinned between the vehicle and the building."


Police said the driver of the vehicle, a 58-year-old woman, didn't realize her car was in drive when she "suddenly accelerated" in their direction, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. 

Instead of pressing the brake, she hit the gas pedal, and plowed straight into Segbers who died at the scene. 

"She will be missed by many and memories of her dancing, laughing, enjoying life, being a great example of a mother, friend, sister, daughter, co-worker, soldier for the greater good and the most recent about her heroic ending will echo eternally," wrote the family friend, Dasshia.