Mother of child struck, killed by NYPD tow truck driver describes her "unspeakable pain"
NEW YORK -- We're hearing for the first time from the mother of the 7-year old boy who was hit and killed by an NYPD tow truck driver Thursday.
"Yesterday morning, he told me that I was, that he loved me. And I'm going to hold on to that," Taqunda Hughes said.
Hughes is still processing the loss of her 7-year old son, Kamari, who was struck and killed on his way to school just steps in front of her.
"I'm just trying to unlive that moment. 'Cause all it does is play over and over," Hughes said.
Surveillance video shows the moments leading up to the tragedy at the intersection of Myrtle and North Portland in Fort Greene. Police say the driver, 54-year-old traffic agent Stephanie Sharp, has been arrested and charged with failure to yield and exercise due care.
Neighbors say there were four crossing guards in the intersection Friday morning, and when CBS New York first arrived, there was a Department of Transportation employee surveying the crosswalk to try to make it safer for pedestrians.
"You have a school here. The kids cross through the park right here to go to school. So I'm hoping they keep a crossing guard here permanently," witness Antwon Hayes said.
"With this recent tragedy, hopefully we can advocate for a crossing guard," Fort Greene resident Juan Rivera said.
Kamari's mother says the increased safety measures are a day too late. She says she screamed at the truck driver upon impact, but the driver didn't stop, running her son over with the tow truck and the car it was hauling. She says Mayor Eric Adams called her Thursday night to offer condolences and to let her know the driver had been arrested.
"I've relived the how. But I don't know the why," she said. "I am going through unspeakable pain. And I know that I look like I'm truly handling it really well, and that's all because of Kamari. I'm channeling him, and I'm doing the best I can to hold on and just deal."