Six Children Left Without Their Mother After Spokane Hit-and-Run Kills Beloved Chef

A single mother of six who built a new life in the United States after leaving Egypt has been killed in a hit-and-run crash in Washington state. Her death has devastated the immigrant community where she worked as a chef, while police continue searching for the driver who allegedly struck her and fled.

Smaah Adam, 46, was crossing near the intersection of West Maxwell Avenue and North Walnut Street in Spokane on the evening of October 26, 2026, when she was hit by a vehicle. Police were called at approximately 5:30 p.m.

Adam was found critically injured and taken to a nearby hospital, where she later died. The Spokane County Medical Examiner identified her and determined that she died from blunt-force injuries.

Investigators reviewed surveillance footage and witness information as they worked to identify the vehicle involved. Police believe it was a black Ford Flex, likely a model from 2009 to 2019, with noticeable damage to the front passenger-side quarter panel.

As of the latest reports, authorities had not announced an arrest or identified the driver.

Adam worked as a chef at Feast World Kitchen, a nonprofit restaurant in Spokane that brings immigrant and refugee chefs together to share their food and cultures. She had been part of the organization for more than five years and was remembered by colleagues as a warm, generous presence.

Feast World Kitchen co-founder Ross Carper said Adam had become like family to the people around her. He described knowing her and her children as an honor and said the community was struggling with the fact that the person responsible had not yet been held accountable.

Adam came to the United States from Egypt more than a decade ago. According to people who knew her, she had left behind violence and conflict to build a safer future for her family.

Her six children are now facing life without the mother who worked to provide for them. Three of them had also participated in Feast World Kitchen’s youth program.

The organization has begun raising money to help cover funeral expenses and support the children. Its staff shared an emotional tribute, remembering Adam as a beloved member of their community and asking people to keep her family in their thoughts.

Police are urging anyone who witnessed the collision or has information about a black Ford Flex with front passenger-side damage to contact the Spokane Police Department.

For those who knew Smaah Adam, the search is about more than identifying a vehicle. They want answers for a family whose mother never made it home.