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Almost two months after the death of young Cuban Albert Montoto, family and friends returned this weekend to the same spot where the accident occurred in southwest Miami-Dade to demand justice, in a protest marked by grief, indignation, and insistence that the case not go unpunished.
The intersection of SW 288th Street and Old Dixie Highway in Leisure City was filled with flowers, signs, and candles.
There, where the 24-year-old lost his life, his family turned their mourning into a public demand.
During the protest, the statements made by Sajay Montoto, the victim's mother, once again moved those who were listening. In front of the accident site, she asserted that what happened was not an accident.
“He took my son's life with his decision and changed all of our lives…”, he said in heartfelt statements to Telemundo 51, emphasizing that the pain he has carried since the day of the accident remains unchanged.
"You feel like you're breaking down inside... you feel like you don't even want to breathe, because it hurts..." she added, describing the emotional impact of the loss.
In that same testimony, he summarized his grief with a phrase that has been repeated in every public appearance: "You feel that on that day, two died: he died and you died too…".
But alongside the pain, the mother insists on the lack of justice. In that same coverage, she stated: “Knowing that an irresponsible person was the one who caused the accident and is still on the street is what hurts the most… it weighs the heaviest…”.
"You destroyed a family": The collective outcry is growing
The protest gathered dozens of people who stood in solidarity with the family, holding signs and chanting slogans. In this context, the testimonies collected by Local 10 reflect the significant impact on Albert's immediate circle.
“More than just a law, you destroyed a family,” expressed the victim's sister in statements to Local 10, in a phrase that encapsulates the widespread sentiment among those close to her.
Other family members insisted that they do not accept the case being treated as a mere traffic violation.
“It was not an accident. It was a decision made by a person,” a family friend stated during the protest.
The discontent is also directed at the authorities' response.
“I don’t think a fine is enough… if I run a red light and hit someone, won’t I be arrested?”, questioned a family member, reflecting the discontent that the driver in question does not face charges.
The messages placed at the accident site reinforced that claim.
"This is my son's blood, where is my justice?" and "A red light is not an accident," could be read among flowers and photographs.
“Only I need justice”: The demand that does not cease
The family's plea was also captured in statements given to CBS News Miami, where Sajay Montoto again expressed the depth of his loss: "That day, he died. I feel like I died with him."
In that same exchange, she was direct in her request: “I just need justice for my son. He deserved something better…”
The young man's fiancée, Yahily Calderín, questioned why there are no legal consequences despite what they consider clear evidence.
"He ran the red light... there is evidence of it, but that's not enough for them," he stated.
And he made it clear that the pain worsens with the lack of answers: “It is hard to lose someone, but it is even harder to watch them die day by day knowing that nothing is being done.”
A case without charges as pressure mounts
Albert Montoto died on February 16, just two days after celebrating his 24th birthday.
He was traveling as a passenger in a red tow truck driven by his brother-in-law when, according to preliminary reports, another tow truck ran a red light and struck the side where he was sitting.
The impact caused the young man to be thrown out of the vehicle.
The brother-in-law of the deceased young man remains in a coma, while there were two people in the other crane, one of whom is also injured.
So far, no criminal charges have been filed.
The Miami-Dade Prosecutor's Office has indicated that any charges will depend on the evidence provided by the investigation, leaving the family in what they consider an unjustified waiting period.
A mourning turned into a struggle
In every public appearance, the family's message is clearly repeated. They are not willing to resign themselves.
“All I am asking for is justice... because I know that no one will bring my son back to me”, the mother has insisted.
Meanwhile, the accident site has become a symbol of memory and demand. There, where Albert's life ended, his family continues to return, not only to remember him but also to insist that his death does not go unanswered.
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