CHAMPION, Betty Jean

Arizona Republic, Phoenix, Arizona Friday Morning March 14, 1941 Death Blamed On Motorist A coroner's jury yesterday attributed the death.of seven-year-old Betty Jean Champion of Phoenix to "being hit by a car driven by Miss Helen Walker at a high rate of speed in a school zone." The child, daughter of Mrs. Dora Champion, 1627 West Magnolia street, died Wednesday in a local hospital of injuries suffered a week earlier when struck at 17th and Grand avenues. Sisters Testify The accident occurred while the child was en route to school with her two sisters, Leona, nine, and Louise, 32, who witnessed the accident and tearfully testified at the inquest called by Nat. T. McKee, coroner. "She just walked ahead of my big sister and the car was coming pretty fast and it hit her." Leona told the jury. Louise said that after her sister was struck she kept just "kept yelling and screaming for Betty and I couldn't see her anywhere." Driver Tells Of Accident Miss Walker, 26, a resident at 129 East Eighth street. Tempe. And an employee of an oil company headquarters at Six Points, told the jury she was en route to work and was driving about 25 miles an hour. Visibly moved, she said: "I slowed down ... I saw the two little girls standing on the curb ... one of them just darted right out , I couldn't stop before I hit her ... I stopped as soon as I could. Suffering from head injuries and a broken leg, the child was picked up 112 feet from the crosswalk, police said. The officers said witnesses told them the tot was walking an the cross walk. Funeral Scheduled Funeral services for the child will be held at 4 p. m. tomorrow in the Memory Chapel of the A. L. Moore and Sons mortuary. Internment will be in Greenwood Memorial Park. Miss Walker was not detained after the inquest and Harold Scoville. deputy county attorney, said he had not completed his investigation of the accident and would delay further action until the transcript of the Inquest is prepared.