PEMBROKE PINES, FLA. (WSVN) - A child is fighting for her life after a car struck her as she crossed the street on a bicycle.
“I felt traumatized because it’s my school. It’s dangerous, and a lot of people are speeding here,” said student Alexia Godoy.
“It is dangerous and there are kids crossing,” said parent Mayerling Mercano. “Like, I crossed two minutes before her. They don’t respect the crossing guards.”
The news of a classmate fighting for her life after being hit by a car Thursday, shortly after dismissal from Lakeside Elementary School is difficult for 9-year-old Alexia Godoy and her mom.
Just minutes after the Godoys passed the intersection, her bike lay among several others scattered across the street, an SUV up on the grass, its front end damaged.
“You shake, because you say, ‘Oh, my God, that can happen to my child, you know?,'” said Leia Godoy.
“I think they need to do something about it,” one parent said.
Pembroke Pines Police confirmed the young victim is a Lakeside student and had been crossing Northwest 10th street on her bike headed north.
“The vehicle was traveling westbound on Northwest 10th Street when it ran a stop sign at the intersection of Northwest 10th Street and 136th Avenue,” said Pembroke Pines Police Sgt. Christian Roger.
“I saw the kid on the floor, they were trying to resuscitate her, and it was horrible, like a horrible experience for everybody,” Mercano said.
The girl was rushed to the hospital and although there were several bikes in the road police say she was the only one hit.
Mercano said she called 911 and that she has complained to the city about the dangerous intersection.
“Four today and three cops today, that’s reactionary,” one man said.
“Reactionary, and that’s something we need everyday, not when something like that happen,” Mercano said.
Jose Ruiz said he heard a loud crash, which made them come out. They then saw the horrific scene of the car damaged against the street and the child lying on the sidewalk.
“What’s worse is that it’s next to a school; this could have been many more tragedies,” said Sebastian Simko.
Neighbors said they’ve been long worried about this Intersection, a four-way stop.
“It’s super dangerous for pedestrians to cross through, and it’s a shame it’s come to this,” said Simko.
“They blow through the stop sign constantly. I mean I’m not going to say daily, but it’s a lot,” said Joe Renaud. “If they put some flashers on stop signs, they’d save lives. I believe they don’t see it.”
Parents said city leaders need to do something to prevent another tragedy.
“They were with mommy and daddy like everyday,” Mercano said. “They go everyday and come with mommy and daddy, and we couldn’t do anything. Very unfortunate, but we are praying for the kid, and we ask everyone to pray for the kid.”
“Put the police there or some speedbumps,” one parent said.
While investigators try to figure out why the crash happened, a family is suffering.
“What a way to start a new year, with a small child. I can’t even imagine,” said Renaud.
Detectives have not revealed what caused the crash or why he ran the stop sign.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.