While Palm Springs investigators say Zia's death could be the result of a hit and run, the girl's mother tells KMIR 6 a different story.

 

In an exclusive interview, the teen's mother says her daughter's death was not an accident. Now she's pleading with the person responsible for Zia's death to come forward and the family is asking the public to help.

 

"I know it's somebody who was close, and I know it's somebody who thought he loved her," Zia's mother Senta Flores said.

 

A love perhaps gone terribly wrong. 16-year-old Zia Hoyos left dead in the middle of Gene Autry Trail. Detectives now believeing she may have already been lying in the middle of the road when she was hit.

 

"She had a struggle with somebody I know that. She had to have struggled because where her purse was at and where her body was at, it was a good distance," Flores said 

 

Zia's family has their own idea of what happened Sunday night. They say Zia snuck out of the house, went to a party in Palm Springs and left with someone who had already proven himself to be bad news for Zia.

 

"They know who they are, and it will be revealed, it really will," Flores said.

 

Investigators haven't arrested anyone yet and they're not releasing a suspect description or vehicle description.  Zia's family says her friends saw the teen leave the party alive, but within 6 minutes the road was closed, a large object reportedly blocking the street. The body of Zia Hoyos, motionless and alone. Her family says whoever she left the party with could be the same person who fled the crime scene.  

 

If you have any information you are asked to please call Palm Springs Police. 

 

 

Car wash hosted by Family of Zia Hoyos

Saturday May 26th

8am-6pm

Desert Radio Group

1321 North Gene Autry Trail

Palm Springs, CA 92262

 

Sunday May 27th 

Del Taco Parking Lot

5601East Ramon Road

Palm Springs, CA

 

Car wash hosted by Friends of Zia Hoyos

Saturday May 26th 

7:30am-4pm

Calvary Bible church, 

68550 Dinah Shore Dr. 

Cathedral City, CA 92234