Leawood officers who pulled woman from burning SUV recognized

The parents of Caroline Kill, a Leawood woman who suffered severe burns last month after the vehicle she was driving crashed and caught fire, issued a tearful thanks to the first responders who pulled her from the burning wreckage.

Driving the news: At Monday’s meeting, the Leawood City Council presented certificates of appreciation to the emergency responders who helped rescue Kill, including five police officers, a fire captain and animal control officer.

What happened: First responders arrived at the Tomahawk Creek trailhead parking lot on the afternoon of Monday, Nov. 14, to find Kill’s crashed SUV on fire.

A video clip of an officer’s bodycam released by Leawood Police showed the harrowing moments as officers and firefighters pulled Kill from the still-burning vehicle.

Update: Kill’s father, Allan Elton, said Kill is slowly heading toward a recovery.

She was moved off the “critical” list at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan. and will continue to undergo skin grafts, surgeries and physical therapy, he said Monday.
She is still being treated for second and third-degree burns, but she shows signs of brain activity and “speaks by gripping your hand.”

Still from a police bodycam video of the moment officers pulled Caroline Kill from the burning SUV. Image courtesy Leawood Police.

What else: Kill’s parents, Martha and Allan Elton, thanked the Leawood officers for their bravery.

They also thanked the community for showing their support, as well as the medical staff at the University of Kansas burn unit.
A GoFundMe online fundraiser started by Kill’s daughter to help pay for ongoing medical expenses as so far raised more than $39,000.

In their own words: “It shows what a great community we have here in Leawood,” Allan Elton said. “We can’t thank your officers — your brave officers — enough. I hope that this goes down somewhere where there’s a record of these men and what they did.”