Relatives of the woman accused of running over a nail salon manager over a $35 bill have made a tearful plea for the suspect on camera to turn herself in.
Ngoc Nhu Nguyen, a 51-year-old mother of three, was killed after attempting to stop the suspect, identified as Krystal Whipple, from leaving Crystal Nails and Spa in Las Vegas on Dec. 29.
Whipple’s credit card had reportedly been declined when she told employees she would go to her car to get cash. Instead, she entered the vehicle and prepared to leave.
“My wife ran out and tried to stop her, and then she rolled forward,” Sonny Chung, Nguyen’s partner and the store’s co-manager, was quoted as saying.
Whipple, who fled the scene in a stolen black Chevrolet Camaro, remains at large.
Sharon Whipple, the suspect’s mom, made an emotional appeal to her daughter in a recent appearance on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” which aired on Sunday.
“You can’t run, baby,” the mother said in tears. “You cannot run. You have to come forward, baby.”
Mrs. Whipple was joined by the suspect’s grandmother in persuading the 21-year-old to surrender and face the possible consequences of her alleged actions.
Surveillance footage released by authorities showed Whipple running over Nguyen, who was trying to chase her down on foot.
It was later revealed that the car she used to flee the scene was stolen from a rental agency three weeks ago. According to investigators, the car was later found abandoned.
“We are going to put an extraordinary amount of resources into this to make sure that the person, the outstanding suspect, is held accountable for it,” Vegas Police Lt. Ray Spencer was quoted as saying.
The victim’s relatives have already raised over $32,000 via a GoFundMe page set up for her funeral.
Nguyen’s daughters, who also appeared on the program, described her as a hard-working single parent who worked 12-14 hour days, seven days a week, to send her daughters to college and support the family’s other needs.
“Our mom was really loved by the community here. It’s very traumatizing,” the victim’s daughter, Anne Trinh, was quoted as saying.
Sharon Whipple said she now hopes Nguyen’s family can “find it in your heart to forgive my daughter and my family.”
“I am so sorry that you lost your mom and I couldn’t imagine how you feel,” she added.
Featured Image via Twitter / Good Morning America
