Mom of 1-year-old hit, killed by driver of SUV in North Versailles calls for accountability
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A community is morning a 1-year-old girl who was hit and killed by the driver of a vehicle in North Versailles.
Ariel Coover is living a nightmare. Her daughter, 1-year-old Arionna Porter, was hit and killed by the driver on Tuesday.
"All the kids were out playing, the neighbor's kids, my kids," Coover said. "We all looked away for literally one split second and turned around and saw her on the ground."
Coover said the kids were playing in the parking lot of the Eastland Apartments around 4:30 p.m. when her 1-year-old girl was hit by the driver of an SUV pulling into the parking lot. She said the driver lives in the building.
"What's been helping me through this is the positive things, like the memories we have, the good memories, her smile," Coover said. "I look at pictures and videos of her and get the biggest smile on my face just seeing her."
Coover's three other children were outside when their sister was killed, and her 8-year-old son saw it happen. And while Coover believes her neighbor didn't mean to hit her daughter, she believes he still has to pay.
"Even though it was an accident, he still needs to be accountable for what he did," Coover said.
"I feel bad for him," Porter's grandmother, Rita Porter, said. "But at the same point, they have to realize we don't get to see our grandbaby no more."
A candlelight vigil for the child is scheduled for Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Eastland Apartments.