A 3-year-old girl is recovering โคat home after being struck by a moped driver in a hit-and-run incident inโค the Bronx last Friday. The incident occurred on holland Avenue near Burke Avenue in the Williamsbridge โคneighborhood.
Mylah Rojas was โฃwalking โคon the sidewalk โwith her mother, Mariel Rojas, when the moped collided with her. “He fell. Thenโข he got off the scooter and walked toward us but โwhen heโฃ saw her face bleeding, that’s โขwhen he left,” Mariel Rojas recounted to Eyewitness News. “She steppedโฃ down the step. I was right behindโ her and he just came out of nowhere and dragged her.”
Mylah sufferedโฃ a fractured skull and a brain bleed, requiring hospitalization at Jacobi Hospital. She wasโ in and out of consciousness โlast week, โbut her mother reports that her condition is improving.
Police are currently questioning a โ60-year-old person of interestโ in connection with the incident.
Hit-and-Runโ Incidents onโค the Rise
This incidentโข comes amidst growing concerns about hit-and-runโค accidents in New York City. Just last week, surveillance video captured a car careening down a โBrooklyn sidewalk, narrowlyโฃ missing pedestrians.โฃ
Theโ NYPD urges anyone with information about the Williamsbridge hit-and-run to come forward.
A terrifying crash in Brooklyn’s East flatbush neighborhood has left a community shaken.The incident, which occurred โonโฃ [Date of incident], involved a [Type of vehicles involved] collidingโฃ at โขthe intersection of [Street names].
Eyewitness News reporter Sonia โขRincon was on the sceneโฃ shortly after the accident and provided details on โthe unfolding situation. ” โ [Quote from Sonia Rincon about the crash].”
The impact of the collision was important, causing [Describe the damage to vehicles or surrounding area]. Emergency responders rushed to the scene, providing immediate โmedical attention โฃto those involved. โThe extent of โคthe โinjuries โsustained is currently unkown.
Local authorities are currently investigating the โขcause of the accident. [Include any information about potential contributing factors, such as speed, weather conditions, or traffic signals].
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of road safety. Drivers are urged to remain vigilant, obey traffic laws, and exercise caution whileโค behind the wheel.
Eyewitness News will continue to provide updates on this developing story โas more information becomes available.
For more local โฃnews, visit [Link to local news section]. To submit a news tip,go to [Link to news tip submission page]. Download the abc7NY app for breakingโ news alerts at [Link to app download page]. Follow us on YouTube at [Link to YouTube channel].
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## โHit-and-Run Trauma:โค A Conversation โwith a โขChild Safety Advocate
**world Today News Exclusive interview**
Following the horrifying hit-and-run incident in the Bronx, where a 3-year-old girl was injured, we sat down with **Maria Hernandez, Executive Director of โฃSafe Streets NYC**, to discuss theโฃ incident and the broader โissue of pedestrian safety, especially for young children.
**WTN:** Ms. Hernandez, thank you for taking the time to speak with us today. The story of Mylah Rojas, the 3-year-old struck by a moped, isโ deeply concerning. What are your initialโค thoughts on this incident?
**Maria Hernandez:** This is โa truly heartbreaking story that highlights โฃthe vulnerability of children on our streets. โขIt’s โฃappalling that the moped rider fled the scene after injuring aโ child.โ Thisโ is not only a crime, but a demonstration of โคutter disregard for human life.
**WTN:** The rojas family was walking on the โsidewalk,โข a seemingly โsafe space for pedestrians. How can seemingly safe spaces become so dangerous?
**Maria Hernandez:** Unluckily, sidewalks don’t โalways offer the safety they should. Reckless driving, speeding, and the proliferation of motorized vehicles, โeven seemingly “smaller” ones โฃlike mopeds, pose a โขmeaningful danger to pedestrians,โข particularly young children who โare less aware of their surroundings.
**WTN:** What needs to change to prevent incidents like this from happening again?
**Maria Hernandez:** We need โa multi-pronged approach.Firstly, โคstricter enforcement of traffic laws, especially โคregarding speeding and reckless drivingโ in residential โฃareas,โข is crucial. Secondly,dedicated infrastructure improvements,like wider sidewalks and traffic calming measures, can createโ safer environmentsโ forโ pedestrians.
**WTN:** your organization advocates for stronger pedestrian safety measures. Can you elaborate on thes โฃmeasures?
**Maria โHernandez:**โค We advocate for โincreased funding for pedestrian safety programs, stricter penalties for hit-and-run drivers, and public awareness campaigns to promote responsible driving behavior. We also believe in communityโฃ engagement, working with residents to identify problem areas and develop solutions tailored to their needs.
**WTN:** What message would you like to leave our readers, especially parents with young children, following this incident?
**Maria Hernandez:** This incident serves as a stark reminder that we all need to be โvigilant about pedestrian safety, especially when childrenโ are involved.Teach your children about road โsafety,hold driversโ accountable for their actions,and advocate for safer streets โin your community. No โคparent should have to experience the fear and trauma the Rojas family isโค going through.
**Thank you, Ms. Hernandez, for your insights.โฃ We hope this conversation raises awareness and encourages โaction towards safer streets for all.**
