Philadelphia Mother Still Waiting For Arrest Of Hit-Run Driver Who Killed Her 4-Year-old Son
By Cherri Gregg
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It's been nearly a month since videotape surveillance video captured a woman running over a 4-year-old boy in Philadelphia's Kingsessing neighborhood and then driving away. Police still have not made an arrest. Now, the boy's mother is hoping to channel her grief into change.
"I still just can't believe that he's gone," says Dominique Lockwood, 29.
It's been exactly 29 days since the driver of that SUV ripped the heart out of their family of four. Smart, bubbly and protective of his mother, Abdul Latif Wilson had a big personality and made his mark on the family. But his curiosity and independence is likely what caused Latif to disobey his mother's orders and go outside on April 13th. He was struck by a vehicle a few feet outside of his home near 57th and Litchfield Streets, an area residents say is frequented by children and fast driving vehicles.
"He was just strength, you know, he was strong," says Lockwood, who notes she has pictures of Latif showing off his miniature biceps. "Now I have to take on his strength and be strong like him."
During the past month, police have identified the car from the hit and run, as well as a female person of interest. But there's no warrant or arrest.
Reporter: Would an arrest or conviction do anything for your grief?
Lockwood: "It would make me feel a little bit better that we got some justice for him. But I will never, never get over it. To be honest, I'd probably could say, I'm upset with God more than her."
This alleged "woman of interest" has lawyered up, but investigators say they're working to prove who was actually behind the wheel that day.
"We're still investigating and we're still moving along," says John Wiltzynski, captain of the accident investigation division. He says some investigations can take days, months or even years.
Meanwhile, Lockwood has left her home to grieve and is trying to find meaning in this tragedy by working to save other children, like Latif.
"I would never want this to happen to any other mother," says Lockwood. "There's a need for more signs that say watch out for children. I mean they have signs for deer, for the blind or the deaf. There needs to be signs that say children are in the area."
The area where Latif or "Teefy," as Lockwood called him, was hit is an area residents say many children come out to play. There's a school a couple of blocks away, as well as a daycare. Scores of children live in the area along the street, which has a constant stream of traffic. Lockwood says she plans to channel her grief into making her Kingsessing neighborhood safer.
"The only way I will feel better is if I make some type of change," she says.
In the meantime, she's working to get grief counseling and to get her other two boys, Samaj and Everett, into a new routine away from the place she once call home. And she's hoping she won't need to wait another 29 days to get closure and an arrest of the person who killed her son.