(AP/University of Evansville)
In this photo provided by the University of Evansville, Abby Guerra, who is in critical condition after a July 18 car accident, is shown. Arizona officials incorrectly said that Guerra had died at the scene of the crash, leading families and friends to believe that her friend, 21-year-old Marlena Cantu, was the one who survived with critical injuries.Guerra was initially listed as having died at the scene of the July 18 crash, and her friend, Marlena Cantu, as one who survived, though badly bruised with a swollen face.
Cantu, 21, was actually killed, and Guerra, 19, was in critical condition with a brain injury, broken back, collapsed lung and other injuries.
Guerra's family had spent the past week planning her funeral, and teammates from her University of Evansville soccer team in Indiana planned to fly to Phoenix to attend it. They rushed to her bedside Saturday after learning of the mix-up.
"It's a miracle but ... you feel angry because we mourned all week," Dorenda Cisneros, Guerra's aunt, told KPHO-TV in Phoenix on Sunday.
The Arizona Department of Public Safety said in an e-mail to The Associated Press on Sunday that a spokesman wouldn't be available to discuss the identification mistake until Monday.
Cantu and Guerra were among a group of five friends from Ironwood High School in Glendale, outside Phoenix, who were returning from Disneyland when the sport utility vehicle they were in blew a tire. The driver lost control, and the SUV rolled several times, authorities told the families.
Can you believe what this family had to go through. 1st they are told their child is dead and they mourned for a week. Now the family has been told their child is alive. This family should sue the authorities for pain and suffering. God bless this family and their daughter. Hopefully she will have a speedy recovery.
