NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - The aunt of the 2-year-old girl killed in a fiery car crash in Northwest Miami-Dade gave more heartbreaking details about the accident that also claimed the life of the child’s father and sent the mother to the hospital.
As she continued to mourn the loss of little Allison Chambers and Trevor Chambers, a visibly shaken Vanessa Leon stood outside Jackson Memorial Hospital and gave an update about her sister, Marilyn Leon. “She says that she’s crying for her baby. She says that she needs her baby,” she said about her sister, who is recovering from severe burns.
The 29-year-old mother survived the violent Thanksgiving Day crash, but Allison and Trevor, 36, could not escape the flames. “She’s burnt, and my brother-in-law died. The baby and the father died,” said Vanessa.
According to Miami-Dade Police, a Mercedes-Benz and a Honda Civic were heading eastbound along the 2900 block of Northwest North River Driver at a high rate of speed. Video of the vehicles moments before the crash shows them so close together that they almost appeared to be touching.
Investigators said the cars were speeding, possibly even racing, when both drivers lost control and collided with each other. The vehicles then ended up in a fenced area of what looked to be a junkyard.
“The impact was so great that both vehicles catch fire,” said Miami-Dade Police Detective Alvaro Zabaleta.
Vanessa’s loved ones were inside the burning Mercedes, and she said her sister tried to save Allison, to no avail. “She said that there was too much flames, so she just jumped out of the window, but before she jumped out, she tried to get the baby,” she said. “That’s where she got burned.”
Investigators said 50-year-old Carlos Gutierrez was inside the Civic. He was able to walk away with some burns to his hands.
7News cameras showed Gutierrez with his arm bandaged as he got into a Miami-Dade Police cruiser following the wreck.
Bystander Alex Garcia told 7News he heard a woman screaming inside the Mercedes and tried all he could to help, but the flames were just too big. “Some people need help, and I go for them, and that’s all,” he said.
Cellphone video captured black smoke and shooting flames at the crash site.
Zabaleta advised drivers to observe caution during the holiday weekend. “Be careful. Let’s be responsible out there,” he said. “Speed kills, and yet here we have two vehicles that … cause a crash and take the life of a little one that had nothing to do with it, had no control over that vehicle.”
Meanwhile, family and friends have been leaving balloons and flowers at the site of the crash to honor the father and daughter.
“My life was my niece,” Vanessa told 7News Friday night.
Through the pain, Vanessa talked about what made Allison smile. “She loved coloring. That was her favorite thing to do. She loved Mickey Mouse,” she said as she shows cellphone video of her niece. “She used to love pets … she was a beautiful, happy baby.”
The accident remains under investigation. No formal charges have been filed.
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