Teen Shouts ‘It’s a Lie’ After Sentencing in Crash That Killed 11-Year-Old Girl, Family Says He Bragged Earlier

A 19-year-old pleaded guilty to causing a crash that took the life of an 11-year-old and was sentenced to 44 months in prison.

Court TV reported that Connor Iversen pled guilty to a single charge of criminal vehicular homicide for killing Lily Loycano in a crash that took place on February 26, 2025, in Independence, Minnesota.

“I took this prison sentence to prevent any more pain on the family, or any more court dates or a trial that would have caused any more pain, as well as owning up to what happened,” Iversen said in court on April 15.

According to investigators, Iversen was driving a 2007 GMC Sierra at 63 mph in a 50 mph zone when he ran a stop sign and crashed into a GMC Acadia SUV carrying a family on the way to school. Authorities said Iversen was on his phone before the crash.

“Throughout my 21 years of service, I responded to numerous tragic accidents, but none felt like what I experienced that day,” Officer Jonathan Howes from the West Hennepin Public Safety Department said.

“The scene felt surreal; felt like something out of a movie. I’d never witnessed such chaos and such sheer fear in people. I can still hear Lily’s father, Eric, yelling at me to help his daughter,” Howes said.

Howes said he developed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after witnessing the crash. “(The victims) were staggering through a debris field. I’ve been present at a lot of child death scenes throughout my career, but nothing has affected me more than this. After finishing my shift that day, I went home, held my daughters, and just cried,” Howes added.

During the sentencing, Lily's family expressed their dissatisfaction with the plea deal offered to Iversen. “Forty-four months isn’t justice for a defendant who has shown no remorse,” Lily’s uncle said, reported CourtTV.

“The defendant, who in police reports as bragging to his friends about getting away with killing an 11-year-old, who by all accounts shouldn’t have been driving," he said.

Iversen reacted strongly, yelling in court, “That never happened! He’s lying on my name!” Judge Shereen Askalani then ordered him to stay quiet.

Lily’s grandmother said she didn’t die in an accident because accidents are avoidable.

“This was a series of conscious choices. He chose to be on Snapchat while driving. He chose to speed. He chose to drive erratically. He chose to blow through a four-way stop. He chose to ignore the safety of every other family on that road. Those were not mistakes. They were decisions – repeated, reckless, indifferent decisions,” she said.

“The choices did not stop at the collision. Audacity steps in. After killing my granddaughter, he bragged about it. He referred to her as ‘that girl.’ He bragged about throwing drugs out at the scene. He bragged about getting away with it. All verified by witnesses and crash reconstruction. Remorse is not measured by words spoken after charges are filed; it is revealed in conduct. His conduct tells this court everything. This was not an isolated lapse in judgment,” she said.

“It’s a lie!” Iversen yelled again following Lily’s grandmother’s statements.

Lily’s parents said she had dreams of becoming a teacher, gymnastics coach, marine biologist and orthopedic surgeon.

“In a single moment, because of choices the defendant made, everything was taken,” Lily’s mother said. “He didn’t just take Lily’s life. He took her future. He took her first boyfriend, her first dance, her first kiss. He took her chance to drive, to graduate, to chase her dreams. He took her wedding day. Her father will never walk her down the aisle, and I will never get to see my daughter become a mother.”

Iversen’s attorney, Laura Baldwin, cited her client’s “nascent mental health issues” and apologized to the family.

Iversen also apologized, “I’m sorry for this unfortunate accident that should never have happened. I know that words can’t do any justice. However, I want the family to know that right after the accident, I prayed to Jesus that everyone would be OK.”

Iversen was sentenced to 44 months, of which at least two-thirds must be served behind bars.