Police make arrest in tragic death of former Nickelodeon star Kianna Underwood
Law enforcement authorities have taken a suspect into custody in connection with the fatal hit-and-run death of former Nickelodeon child actress Kianna Underwood, marking a major breakthrough in the high-profile investigation.
Underwood, best known for her recurring role on Nickelodeon’s hit sketch comedy series All That and her voice work on the animated children’s series Little Bill, died after being struck by a vehicle that fled the scene without stopping or rendering aid on January 16. She was aged just 33.
Emergency responders were dispatched to the scene of the collision, where Underwood was found suffering from severe, catastrophic trauma. Despite rapid intervention by medical personnel, the actress succumbed to her injuries.
Investigators launched an immediate, multi-agency canvass in the wake of the collision, reviewing surveillance footage from traffic cameras and local businesses while processing vehicle debris left behind at the crash site.
Advert
The search for the offending vehicle and driver prompted urgent public appeals for witnesses to come forward.
Up until now, no fresh leads had been made public, but authorities have, as of Wednesday, confirmed that the driver has now been apprehended and taken into custody.
Formal charges are currently pending as prosecutors prepare the criminal case and review forensic collision reports.
Fox 5 NY reports that 72-year-old Michael Griffiths was arrested this week in the case.
Citing the New York Police Department (NYPD), the outlet reports that Griffiths was taken into custody in Brooklyn on Tuesday and charged with two counts of leaving the scene of an accident.
Underwood first rose to prominence as a talented young performer in the early 2000s, charming television audiences with her sharp comedic timing on Season 10 of All That alongside the network's next generation of sketch comics. She went on to lend her vocal talents to animated productions and stage performances, earning respect from peers across the television industry.
The news of her sudden passing sent shockwaves through the community of former child stars and fans who grew up watching her work, prompting widespread calls for accountability and justice in the days following the collision.
Her death also prompted a heartbreaking post from her father, in which he shared his hope that someone had been there to comfort his daughter in her final moments.
“So this one time [my partner] Tia Ynvme Taylor and I were in the Catskills and we saw this fox on the road,” he began in a now deleted Facebook post.
“I could tell it had been hit. It was a dangerous curved road and I contemplated moving our car into the middle of the road so it wouldn’t get hit again.
But before I could do anything someone came around the corner and didnt slow down when I started flashing my highbeams. So the driver ran over the fox, I remember the horror I felt when I saw that,” he wrote.
“Another driver pulled over and picked the fox up who was still alive and put it on the side of the road,” he continued.
“All I can think about is did anyone show my baby that same compassion, as someone ran her over like roadkill. Did anyone try to comfort my baby as she layed dying in the street alone, or did they just stand around with their phones,” he asked at the end of his post.
Phoebe Tonks