Couple burned car used in 2022 Raleigh hit-and-run that killed 12-year-old girl: Warrants

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- A husband and wife have been arrested in a hit-and-run that killed a 12-year-old girl in November of last year.

The arrests happened after a recent push from Raleigh Police Department to have people come forward with tips in the case.

The hit-and-run happened near Hillsborough Street and Bashford Road on November 25, 2022. One day after Samantha Briggs' birthday.

Investigators said Briggs was not in a crosswalk, but That's because there was no crosswalk on that stretch of Hillsborough Street when she was hit. The area also does not have a sidewalk.

Warrants obtained by ABC11 accuse Blanca Iris Escobar of being the driver behind the wheel of a white Honda Civic that hit Briggs. She faces charges of felony hit-and-run causing serious injury or death and obstructing justice.

Investigators said Escobar admitted to being the only person in the car when the crash happened. After the crash, she met up with her husband, Wilmer Morales Roblero, and together they drove to Franklin County and burned the car.

Roblero faces charges of accessory after the fact and obstruction of justice.

Despite the charges, Briggs' family says they still have more questions than answers.

"My only question now is why? Like, why? Why not stop? Why burn the car? Why try to cover it? It's just, why?," Briggs' older sister Dakisha Holmes said. "You know what you did, and you tried to cover it up as if nobody was going to put two and two together, but we did. We smarted it out, and my girl got justice, but this to me is just not enough."

Briggs' aunt wants to know how someone could just leave a helpless girl lying in the street.

"No one called the police...and just left her there to die," said Catina Blue.

In the virtual court appearance, prosecutors also said cell phone records tie both defendants to both the crime scene and the location where the burned car was found. They said physical evidence connects Escobar's car to the crime scene, too.

Escobar is being held on a $50,000 dollar bond, and Morales-Roblero on a $25,000 bond. Their next court appearances will both be on June 22nd at 9 am.