Family, friends remember Elida teen killed in crash

Britt'ny Mowell

An Elida teenager killed in a crash Friday is remembered as a beautiful and bubbly girl with a big heart.

Britt'ny Mowell, 17, died at a Lubbock hospital from injuries suffered in a single vehicle rollover crash outside Elida.

"She loved everybody, everyone became her friend," said Mowell's sister, Mollie Crow. "She was very adventurous and was looking forward to exploring life outside of Elida. Our family and friends are really sad about this because she was just an amazing person."

Mowell was driving a 2003 Pontiac minivan east on South Roosevelt Road 24 while picking up food for her family late Friday morning when she lost control of the vehicle, according to Capt. Jimmy Glascock of the New Mexico State Police.

The vehicle collided with a ditch embankment and left the north side of the road and rolled. While the vehicle was rolling, Mowell was ejected from the minivan and it did not appear that a seatbelt was used, according to Glascock.

Glasscock said a passing motorist who saw Mowell called for help and rendered aid. EMS arrived on scene and began life-saving aid.

After being transported to Roosevelt General Hospital, she was airlifted to a Lubbock hospital where she died Friday afternoon, Glascock said.

"Britt'ny and her family were wonderful people, this is not something they deserve," said Dawn Eiduk, a friend of the family. "She was very sweet and always smiling."

Mowell was a junior at Elida High School. Her main interests included theater arts, especially Shakespeare.

According to her family, she had the opportunity to participate in a few college plays at Eastern New Mexico University, which really sparked her love for performing arts.

Crow has set up an account with area Wells Fargo Banks so that friends and the public can make donations to help the family pay for funeral expenses, the Britt'ny Mowell Memorial Fund. A family spokesperson said no amount is too small.

"I'm still in a lot of shock, it's really unfortunate I'm not going to be able to see her grow up," said Crow. "I'd love to see her go to college and get married and just live the rest of her life. She was a great friend and she loved her family with all of her heart."

Even during this painful time, Mowell's mother said she wants people to know her daughter had a heart of gold, she never knew a stranger and she really lived life to the fullest as well as going out of her way to help the less fortunate.