Ailahni Sanchez Martinez.Photo:GoFundMe
GoFundMe
Police in California say a 3-year-old was behind the wheel of a car that fatally struck another toddler at a gas station parking lot over the weekend.
Officers found a man at the scene who was the owner of the truck. However, an investigation determined that the individual was inside the gas station store at the time of the accident, and he left his truck running at a gas pump.
“A three-year-old child inside was in the backseat of the truck, in a car seat,” police said in the release. But while inside the store, the 3-year-old “got out of their car seat and got into the driver’s seat. The truck began moving forward, and it collided with a two-year-old child who was near a taco stand on the edge of the lot.”
Ailahni’s mother, Rosa Martinez, told KCRA that they were setting up their taco stand when they saw the truck hit their daughter, who was just a month away from her birthday.
“I heard a scream and ran because I saw it going toward my daughter, but it was too late,” Sanchez said.
No arrests have been made at this time, and police said all parties involved have cooperated with the investigation. But the family is hoping for action.
“We want justice,” Sanchez told the outlet.
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Once completed, police said the investigation will be forwarded to the district attorney’s office for review.
PEOPLE has reached out to the DA’s office for comment.
AGoFundMe fundraiserfor the family has raised over $17,000 as of Tuesday morning.
“Ailahni was a beautiful [and] talented 2 almost 3 year old … little princess was taken to soon from us,” the tribute noted.
source: people.com
