CEDAR CITY, Utah — An Iron County teenager has died nearly two weeks after she was critically injured in a UTV accident near Duck Creek.
Kensley Holmes was driving alone inside a side-by-side vehicle on Thursday, Aug. 20, when she struck a tree. The 17-year-old suffered a severe brain injury, along with multiple fractures, including to her neck and skull.
The Kane County Sheriff's Office said Holmes, who was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the incident, may have been unconscious at the scene for several hours before she was finally discovered.
According to a GoFundMe page created by Holmes' family, she was eventually found by her boyfriend, whom the sheriff's office said was concerned after not hearing from Kensley.
After being discovered, Kensley was transported to one hospital, and then to St. George Hospital, where she underwent brain surgery and, according to the family, had half her skull removed to relieve pressure on her brain. The family said she was also fighting a collapsed lung, heart failure and blood clots.
Over the weekend, an update to the GoFundMe page said that Kensley had died from her injuries.
"She fought so hard," the page said, "and her family is deeply comforted by the love and support everyone has shown."
