Fundraising campaign started for Burlington teen crash victim

Staff | January 5, 2015

An online fundraising site has been created for a 16-year-old Burlington High School student killed in a traffic accident along Wisconsin Highway 50 in Kenosha County on Dec. 31.

According to a story in the Kenosha News, the site on YouCaring.com is aiming to raise $10,000 for the family of Samantha Russell of Wheatland township, to defray funeral costs.

As of Sunday, the site had raised almost $9,000.

Russell died Wednesday after the pickup truck she was driving turned onto Highway 50 from 392nd Avenue, pulling into the path of a van heading westbound on Highway 50.

Russell was taken to Aurora Memorial Hospital of Burlington, where she died.

A 12-year-old passenger in the truck, Kayla Brown, also of Wheatland township, was taken to Froedert Hospital in Wauwatosa by Flight for Life with serious injuries. Her current condition was unavailable.

Russell, known as “Sammi,” was a junior at Burlington High School and worked as a cashier at Walmart in Lake Geneva.

Funeral details may be found on the fundraising website: http://www.youcaring.com/memorial-fundraiser/rest-in-sweet-peace-sammi-j/285093.