Father speaks out after 7-year-old daughter struck by elderly driver outside Miami pharmacy
MIAMI — The family of a 7-year-old girl, who was struck by a 92-year-old driver and is fighting for her life at a local hospital, is speaking out.
"She's totally swelling," said Joany Figueredo, describing the condition of his daughter, Stephanie Alonso. "Part of her head was removed."
"We don't know what is going to happen," Figueredo said, after speaking with Stephanie's doctors. They told him it is not certain the little girl will survive.
The incident happened on Monday, when Stephanie and her mom were walking toward the main entrance of Navarro Pharmacy on Southwest 32nd Avenue and 22nd Street in Miami before 4 p.m. According to Figueredo, a Red Nissan SUV came out of nowhere.
"Instead of pressing the brakes, the 92-year-old accelerates, and we can see (through surveillance videos) that the vehicle accelerates and goes right toward them. It sideswipes the mother, hits the girl," said Mike Vega, public information officer for Miami Police. "She was not pinned under the car; she was actually right next to the vehicle."
Figueredo was notified that his daughter had been rushed to Jackson Memorial Hospital in critical condition.
"When I am alone and I see a picture of her, I break down, and I start crying. It's too hard," Figueredo said.
He shared pictures with CBS News Miami of Stephanie — one of them when she was trying on a dress she planned on wearing on Sept. 21, when she will turn 8.
Amid the anguish and frustration, Figueredo believes tragedies like the one he now faces can be avoided, and asks why a person who is 92 years old was driving.
We need "to fight again for a law that would work in favor of limiting the age for driving," said Figueredo.
Miami Police have not revealed the identity of the driver, except for her age.
"We issued a ticket for careless driving, but we did not issued it to her yet because we have to wait on the outcome of the case," Vega said.
Stephanie's family created a GoFundMe page because doctors told her parents if the girl survives, she will need a lot of care.
Her dad is a teacher and her mom works at a gym. Fernando said he will need all the help he can get to take care of his daughter.