Reality star, 19, who appeared on The Voice Kids killed in hit-and-run car crash as she's remembered for her 'deep love for art'
A teenage reality star who appeared on a TV at the age of just 12 has been killed in a car crash.
Nicole Valeria Vargas Gomez, aged 19, who rose to fame on The Voice Kids, was struck by a hit-and-run driver who then fled the scene.
The crash happened in Quindio, Colombia. Gomez appeared on the country’s edition of The Voice Kids in 2019 when she was just 12 years old.
William Andres Paipa, aged 40, also died in the collision, which happened on the Circasia–Armenia road in western Colombia.
Local police said the pair were crossing the road when an unidentified vehicle appeared out of nowhere and ran into them. The impact of the collision threw them into the air and onto the opposite side of the road.
Officers also confirmed that the driver did not stop to help William and Nicole, but instead fled the scene. They are now looking for the vehicle which caused the fatal ctash, and also the person who was driving the vehicle.
Nicole found fame in the 2019 series of the children’s version of the popular reality singing contest. Although she did not make the final, she won many fans. After the show, she continued performing in festivals around the country.
Nicole was studying Business Administration at the University of Quindío at the time of her death. The university paid tribute to her in a statement: “Nicole was a young woman committed to her academic training and to the cultural life of our alma mater.
“From the classrooms and also from the stages, she left her mark through her discipline, sensitivity and deep love for art. As a member of Coranto, she always carried the name of the University of Quindio with honour to every meeting and performance.”