ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — A 12-year-old remembers her mother, after she said a violent relationship led to a deadly crash in St. Louis County.
The crash came after a multi-state police pursuit.
Days after 30-year-old Delisha Evans' death, family reached out to 5 On Your Side, saying the woman's daughter wanted to be a voice for her mom.
Seventh grader De'Mya Miller felt like she needed to use a microphone to share a message.
"I want everybody to know my mom as a strong woman and kind soul, she was so kind to others even if they didn't deserve it," she told 5 On Your Side Tuesday afternoon. "I believe my mom would appreciate this (interview) and I know she's watching me and she thinks I'm strong because I live through her... because if she is strong, I know I can be strong too."
Her mom, a St. Louis native, moved near Dallas, Texas almost a decade ago.
It's a move that made De'Mya proud.
"She did it all by herself and I’m really proud of her, I don’t know if I can do that when I’m older. That was amazing to move her entire life to Texas where she knew no one, nine hours away, and I’m proud of my mom for doing that for me and her," she said with a smile.
Last November, Evans started dating her new boyfriend, 33-year-old Ryan Phillips from St. Louis.
De'Mya said he was nice at first.
But about a month later, she learned he broke their window and door.
"That was the first time I noticed something off about him," she said.
The two eventually got back together. She believes her mom stood by his side after he was diagnosed with cancer and he'd been through a lot in his life.
"I believe she stuck next to him because of his financial situation. He took us on a lot of trips. I believe he paid my mother’s bills and he did a lot for me and my sister. I think that plays a part in why she kept going back to Ryan," De'Mya shared. "I think he did more than break her things, I think he physically abused her once or twice but I never saw."
Evans broke up with Phillips in August. De'Mya didn't know if they got back together or not.
"There were signs that my mom didn’t want him at her house, he popped up a few days after Labor Day," she recalled.
De'Mya and her 4-year-old sister were close with their mom.
That's why it was odd last week when they didn't hear from her for a few days.
On Wednesday night, it was the last time De'Mya saw her mom.
The next morning, Phillips was there and he said her mom was sleeping upstairs. He took the girls to school.
On Thursday morning, she spoke to her mom on the phone.
"She told me she loved me and I told her I loved her too and that was the last time I heard my mother’s voice," De'Mya said.
The 12-year-old noticed red flags throughout the day.
She said the texts from her mom seemed off.
When her mom didn't pick her up, Phillips said her mom was out with her friends.
De'Mya said she went snooping around the house on Thursday. She found her mom's phone in a drawer and noticed all the cameras inside the home were gone. But she said she let it go.
"I really wish I didn’t leave a lot of this alone because I trusted him," De'Mya shared. "I knew something (was wrong), I don’t think my mom would leave me with him. He popped up at my house, my mom was already broken up with him for good."
Before leaving the house on Friday, she could smell bleach.
She kept asking for more answers.
"He was upset because I was asking, he was like 'I don’t know where the f is my girlfriend, where the f is my girlfriend!'" De'Mya added.
It was picture day at school on Friday. However, De'Mya had other concerns on her mind.
De'Mya kept calling and texting her mom until the texts wouldn't go through on Friday.
De'Mya would later learn her home was set on fire, and police believe Phillips was the suspect.
She arrived to the scene and saw her home ruined.
That same night, the worst news came through.
"They told me my mom was no longer alive and neither was he," she told 5 On Your Side.
Family reported Evans missing and police identified the primary suspect as Phillips, who drove the two from Texas to their hometown of St. Louis.
A police pursuit soon led to a car crash and an exchange of gunfire.
"I think my mom was dead Sept. 5, 2024, and was pronounced dead Sept. 6th. I think he killed her Thursday afternoon and he lied about it to my face and I think he knew the entire time and I think he had a good opportunity to kill us. Thankfully, he didn't. He took somebody that I think I really need in my life," De'Mya shared.
She told 5 On Your Side she will always protect her little sister.
Just days after her mother's death, she now faces the unfathomable.
"My family is saying I need to forgive him. I don’t now if I can forgive him. I really need my mom and I don’t know how I am going to live without her," she said with tears rolling down her face.
De'Mya hopes anyone in a similar situation to ask for help.
"You don’t want it to be too late for you or your loved one," she pointed out.
At just 12 years old, she's advocating for domestic violence awareness and it's her strength sharing a message for mom.
"I know my mom would do anything for me. Don't take your mother's life or family member's life for granted because you never know that it'll be the last time you'll speak to them or hear from them ever again," De'Mya shared.
Police said this is still an active investigation in its early stages and the autopsies could determine cause of death.
De'Mya and her little sister will now live in St. Louis with their father.
The two girls have lost everything after the fire; if you'd like to help, here is the GoFundMe.
Resources for those experiencing domestic violence
For Saint Martha's crisis hotline number, call 314-533-1313.
You can call the Safe Connections Crisis Helpline at 314-531-2003. You can also text that number from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, free of charge.
Alternatives to Living In Violent Environments also has a crisis line at 314-993-2777, and they have a number for Franklin County at 800-941-9144.