Gov. Abbott offers reward of up to $10k for information in fatal shooting of 8-year-old girl

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- De'Maree Adkins loved to play the violin. A self-proclaimed "girly-girl," her family says she was wise beyond her eight years.

Adkins was killed Saturday morning after surviving a car crash.

Gov. Abbott is partnering with Crime Stoppers to bring justice in the case of De'Maree Adkins. The total reward is now $15,000.

ORIGINAL REPORT: 8-year-old killed after crash Saturday

DeMaree Atkins

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"She would tell you that she had an old soul with a young body," said Detram Adkins, De'Maree's father.

On Saturday, her young life was taken when someone opened fire on West Fuqua and The Beltway.

"Senseless. Very, very senseless. Over what? I don't understand?," said Latoyia Jarmon-Thomas, De'Maree's mother.

Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo has an idea what might be behind it.

"If I were venture to guess, I think it's going to end up being gang-related. Now, I don't know that definitively but let's face it, most people don't go out in the middle of the night shooting at people. There's a pretty strong nexus between criminal behavior and gang membership," said Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo.

Toyia Thomas talks to ABC13 about the moment she realized her daughter had been hit by gunfire after a car crash.

De'maree's mother, Latoyia Jarmon-Thomas, said she and her daughter were heading east on The Beltway feeder near West Fuqua when she and a white car collided on Saturday morning.

"When we collided, I looked back to check on my baby and she was asleep," said Jarmon-Thomas.

She said after the crash, the other driver ran off. Then she said another car pulled up and starting shooting at her car. She had no idea who it was, or why the person was shooting.

"You fired shots into a car that had nothing to do with a gang. You killed an innocent child," said Jarmon-Thomas.

De'Maree's father and mother called the shooting senseless.

"Only thing that comes to my mind is cowards," said Detram Adkins, De'Maree's Father.

Gov. Greg Abbott released a statement about the shooting and is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest. The money from the Office of the Governor, plus the Crime Stoppers reward totals $15,000.

The 8-year-old's family has begun a GoFundMe account for donations.