Kristina Butterfield’s mother tragically lost her daughter and her husband, David.
Hanks High School girls’ basketball player Kristina Butterfield died Saturday night, March 8, 2025, at 16, from injuries sustained in a motor vehicle crash that happened six days earlier in Montana.
Highlights
- Kristina Butterfield passed away at 16 from injuries sustained in an accident that happened on March 2, 2025.
- Butterfield was born to her father, David, and her mother, Jennifer Lakko Butterfield.
- Jennifer was born to her father, Robert Jordan Lakko, and her mother, Sherry Sue Lakko.
Butterfield, a junior player on the Hanks girls’ basketball team, suffered critical injuries in the crash that happened on March 2 near Laurel, Montana.
Her family confirmed her death on Sunday morning, saying she died at about 8 p.m. Saturday.
The crash also killed her father, David Butterfield, a long-time El Paso area educator who was most recently a P.E. teacher at Cesar Chavez Academy. They were in Montana visiting family over spring break.
Hank’s High School’s head coach, Miguel Padilla, organized a fundraising campaign on GoFundMe to help the Butterfields with a medical bill.
Around 943 people have already donated, and over $64,737 has been collected.
Yslete ISD poured a small tribute to Kristina through their official Facebook handle. They wrote,
Our hearts are heavy as we mourn the loss of beloved teacher David Butterfield & daughter Kristina, a standout Hanks HS student. We send our deepest sympathies & earnest wishes for comfort, strength and peace to their family, friends & loved ones. They will be deeply missed.
Ysleta ISD
The Butterfield family is planning funeral services in Utah and will provide information on how to watch them. Rest in Paradise, Kristina Butterfield.
Kristina Butterfield Is Survived By Her Mother, Jennifer Lakko Butterfield
Kristina Butterfield was born on March 16, 2008, to her mother, Jennifer Lakko Butterfield, and her father, David Butterfield. She was the second youngest of seven siblings.
Her sister, Kayla Butterfield Evans, is also mourning the loss of her sister, Kristina. She said,
Butterfield was 16 when she died and would have turned 17 on March 16, She always had a smile on her face and was a friend to everyone,”
Kayla Butterfield Evans
Per Kayla, Kristina was also looking forward to an overseas mission for her church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Kristina’s father, David, was a respected teacher and a long-time trainer at Parkland High School in El Paso. In 2024, he was named Cesar Chavez Academy’s campus Teacher of the Year.
David also passed away, along with Kristina, in an accident.
On the other hand, Kristina’s mother has avoided social media, so not much is known about her profession. However, she is mourning the tragic loss of Kristina and David.
In a statement, Jennifer Lakko said,
“Our dear sweet girl was beyond accomplished and such a tough basketball player,”
Jennifer Lakko Butterfield
Jennifer was born to her mother, Sherry Sue Lakko, and her father, Robert Jordan Lakko.
She grew up with her siblings: Rebecca Lakko, Cynthia Watson, Matthew Lakko, Amy Miller, Brooke Brookshire, Heath Lakko, and Robert Lakko.
Her mother, Sherry, was born to loving parents James Allen and Clara Elizabeth Sines in Rocks Springs, Wyoming. She grew up with 3 siblings: an older brother, Keith, and younger siblings, Dorothy and Robert.
Sadly, Sherry passed away on Wednesday, September 8, 2022, in Albany, Georgia, at 79.
Funeral services were held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 1640 Broadmoor Dr., in Billings Heights, at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, September 24, 2022.
On the other hand, Jennifer’s father, Robert Jordan Lakko, was born on October 29, 1938, in Rock Springs, Sweetwater County, Wyoming, and passed away on April 30, 1979, at the age of 40.
A funeral service was held at Rest Haven Memorial Gardens in Rock Springs, Wyoming, United States.
Additional Information
- Jennifer Lakko Butterfield’s mother, Sherry, attended grade school in Rock Springs, graduated from Rock Springs High School in 1961, and attended 1 year of college at Western Wyoming Junior College.
- In 2025, Kristina played in 23 games, with notable performances in key matchups, including tournament games in the 2025 UIL Texas Girls Basketball State Championships.
- Kristina played varsity basketball as a power forward and wing, wearing jersey #33. Standing 6’1″, she contributed defensively with an average of 2.9 rebounds and 0.3 blocks per game.
