Arrest Made In Mattapan Hit-And-Run Crash That Killed Child
BOSTON (CBS) -- Police have arrested a Dorchester man in a hit-and-run crash that killed an 8-year-old girl and injured her 12-year-old cousin Saturday night in Mattapan.
The accident occurred at about 11 p.m. on West Selden Street. The 12-year-old boy was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
James Horton, 45, was arrested, Boston police said.
The girl was identified as Yadielys DeLeon. A makeshift memorial grew at the crash scene on Sunday afternoon.
Victim in fatal hit-run in #Mattapan identified as 8 yr old Yadielys DeLeon. Makeshift memorial is now at crash scene pic.twitter.com/DJT3XgnIak
— Kim Tunnicliffe (@KimWBZ) June 7, 2015
Jabari Peddie, principal of UP Academy Holland, where DeLeon was a student, reflected on the tragedy.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with her and her family and with all of our students and teachers who she touched with her joy everyday," Peddie said in a public statement.
Law enforcement sources told WBZ-TV's Julie Loncich that the driver took off on foot after the crash.
"Something like that happens, it's a tragedy. But to see someone would leave the scene and leave two young children lying on the street makes it a greater tragedy," Boston Police Commissioner William Evans said.
A mangled bicycle was present at the scene of the incident.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Kim Tunnicliffe reports: