Rescue workers struggled to pull out the teen boy along with his siblings, and his 35-year-old mother from the debris following the collision.
Chris Amaya-Pineda, a young 13-year-old, and his family were traveling to his grandmother's house on January 9 at 8 a.m. when a Mercedes driver crossed a red light and struck their SUV, pushing it into a fence and a parked car, according to KTLA. In the tragic crash, the teenager died on the spot, while his 2-year-old brother is currently on life-support, struggling for life.
Police are now looking for the person who allegedly struck a car carrying four relatives in Los Angeles, killing the teenager who was speeding away from the scene. Rescue workers struggled to extract the teenage boy, his 2-year-old brother, Damian, his 16-year-old sister, and his 35-year-old mother, Debbie, from the debris following the collision.
“It’s probably one of the saddest cases I’ve ever seen working here for four years,” said Dr. Adam Garibay, an emergency medicine doctor at the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, where the family was taken.
According to a GoFundMe page set up to cover the cost of the family's burial and medical bills, all four members of the family were rushed to the hospital, where Chris passed away and Damian was reported as being in a "grave condition." Julie Amaya, the toddler's aunt told CBS, "If there is a miracle for [Damian] to wake up, he'll be paralyzed."
Please people something has to change. They just took my nephew and my other little nephew is fighting for his dear life. It happened on main and 111th it was a a fatel hit and run. Still haven’t caught the person please help. https://t.co/0Zbf85yGfn
— MatthewsPaintingInc. (@PaintingMiguel) January 11, 2023
The toddler sustained a major head injury, she added. Debbie was discharged from the intensive care unit on January 12, but her loved ones wrote on the fundraising page that she still needs to have multiple procedures before she can return home. Minor injuries were sustained by her daughter, Jade. “He has to take accountability for what he did,” said Jade to KTLA. “The family is torn. Just think of what you want for someone to do for you. Just please, just help us. We’re asking for help.”
The children's father, who was at work when the tragedy occurred, has found it challenging as the family deals with their devastating loss and looks to the community for help. "We as a family will of course pull funds together for Debbie and her family as best as we can, as this is our responsibility first, but it'd be a blessing to receive any additional help that'll really make a difference," the fundraiser reads.
Thank you all who have donated and prayed for my family 🤍 This is a very difficult time for my cousin Mario & my family so we greatly appreciate all the help. https://t.co/7ELmtQgDZD https://t.co/lVjqf4Ja2b
— Mels (@melscastellanos) January 12, 2023
The campaign further reads out all the costs the family might incur. "Funeral costs possibly for two people instead of one, medical expenses for 4 individuals, physical therapy in the coming months, loss of vehicle, rebuilding and reestablishing their families spiritual foundation and solidarity as they try to restore what they have," it reads. "In addition, this fund is to simply help them restart to a difficult new life without their son Chris and because of Damian’s grave condition, he as well."
Investigators are still looking for the suspect and are requesting that anybody with knowledge about the collision call the LAPD or leave an anonymous tip on the CrimeStoppers website.
References:
https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/3-minors-1-adult-injured-in-2-car-collision-in-south-l-a/
https://www.gofundme.com/f/9e2j64-funeral-expenses
Cover Image Source: GoFundMe
