Oklahoma family pleads for change after daughter's tragic death

Two years after their daughter's tragic death, Scott and Amber Carter are stepping forward to advocate for changes in the law. Makiya Carter, 19, was hit while leaving a Halloween party in October 2022.

“She was a free spirit who loved children,” said Makiya’s mother, Amber Carter.

Amber said her daughter dreamed of becoming a wife and mother.

“It kills me that she couldn’t achieve her dream,” Amber said.

According to a police report, the accident occurred near Southwest 164th Street and Western Avenue. The driver initially left the scene of the accident.

“She died alone and that kills me more than anything else,” Amber said.

The report stated that the driver eventually returned to the scene and called 911, claiming he thought he had hit a deer.

“It took so long for him to come back that I couldn't even donate her organs, so something good could have come out of it,” Amber said.

Although police found no evidence of impairment in the driver, whose blood alcohol level was not tested, the Carters are determined to ensure that other families do not suffer as they did. They work with Victims of Impaired Drivers (VOID) to enforce stricter blood testing laws in accidents that result in serious or fatal injuries.

“We want to change things that ignore human discretion,” said Scott Carter. “If you have an accident and someone is seriously injured or killed, you should be required to have a blood test.”

Amber added: “I want something good to come out of her death.”

The couple's advocacy raises awareness of the issue of impaired driving and responsibility. In Makiya's case, the coroner found her blood alcohol level was 0.2. However, the Carters are determined to turn their pain into meaning, hoping their efforts will prevent future tragedies and honor their daughter's memory.