Related videos:
A 33-year-old mother accidentally ran over her 19-month-old son while backing up her truck at the entrance of their home in West Park, in Broward County, south Florida.
The little Wilson Matias Jr. passed away shortly after in the hospital, in what authorities describe as a tragic accident.
According to the Broward County Sheriff's Office, the incident occurred shortly after 2 PM on Monday in the 100 block of Allen Road.
Ericka Cante Hernandez -of Guatemalan origin- was driving a white 2024 Chevrolet Suburban in reverse down the driveway of her home when the child ran out of the house and was in the path of the vehicle.
Paramedics urgently transported the child to Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood, where he succumbed to his injuries.
The spokesperson for the BSO, Carey Codd, described what happened with these words in statements reported by the Miami Herald: "It appears to be a tragic, tragic accident."
The mother, without charges for the moment
Authorities indicated that Hernandez is not facing charges at the moment, as detectives believe the crash was accidental and do not suspect any malicious conduct.
However, the Traffic Homicide Unit of the BSO is maintaining an active investigation.
It was not clarified how the child managed to leave the house or if there were other people present in the home at that time.
The mother herself, visibly shattered, expressed in Spanish before the cameras of NBC 6 South Florida: “I have no words.”
The pain of a family
The sister of the victim, Ashly Cante, spoke to local media visibly affected.
“ He was my little brother, he was my first little brother. He was a good boy, he liked to play, he was with me and my siblings. He was a small child. I can’t talk right now,” Ashly said in a statement to NBC 6.
In an interview with WSVN 7News, Ashly also described her mother's condition: “She is sad right now. She doesn't want to talk to anyone. She has no words and is devastated.”
A neighbor from the neighborhood who knew the family recounted:
"I've never seen those children outside without a father. They love their children so much, playing with water, playing with balloons. They are a family that truly, truly lives for their family."
The mayor visits the family
On Tuesday, the mayor of West Park, Felicia M. Brunson, visited the home to offer her support to the family of the little boy.
“This is a tragic situation, and we just wanted to let you know that the City of West Park cares about you,” Brunson stated to WSVN 7News.
In the entrance of the house, the child's lilac Crocs remained as a painful reminder, alongside a red sign that read: "Drive as if your children lived here."
A documented danger in residential entrances
The death of Wilson Matias Jr. was the third of a young child recorded in Broward County in less than a week, following two fatalities due to hot cars in Plantation and Hallandale Beach.
Backover accidents in residential driveways represent a well-documented risk.
According to the organization Kids and Car Safety, at least 50 children are struck by reversing drivers each week in the United States, and two of them die.
The most vulnerable age group is precisely between 12 and 23 months, the same age that Wilson was.
The 2024 Chevrolet Suburban involved in the accident comes factory-equipped with a rearview camera, parking assistance sensors, and rear cross-traffic alerts.
The authorities did not confirm whether these systems worked properly or if the mother used them at the time of the impact.
A campaign to say goodbye to little "Junior"
Wilson's loved ones, whom the family affectionately referred to as "Junior," created a GoFundMe page to cover the expenses for the funeral and memorial.
"Nobody is ever prepared for such a profound loss," reads the page.
Wilson Matias Jr. would have turned two years old in December.
Filed under: