Grieving Father Of 2-Year-Old Girl Killed In NW Miami-Dade Hit-&-Run Crash Releases Video In Hopes Of Finding Driver Video
MIAMI (CBSMiami) — The grieving father of a 2-year-old girl killed in a hit-and-run crash has released new cellphone video that could provide a clue in this unsolved case.
Mikerson Cherident, who lost his 2-year-old daughter Maritza Cherident, said he received the cellphone video from a friend after the crash that happened around 9:30 p.m. last Wednesday at NW 10 Avenue and 116 Terrace.
Speaking Creole and through a translator, Cherident said he believes the video shows the vehicle involved with the crash speeding away and he believes a white van that is seen rounding a corner was following the hit-and-run driver after the crash.
Miami-Dade PD said they have received no new information from their traffic homicide investigators and could not say whether this could be the car or not.
Cherident told CBS4's Peter D'Oench, "She was my first child. She was 2 years and 6 months. She was very friendly. I lost everything. I cannot sleep at night. I cannot eat. I think about my daughter all the time."
He does not remember what sort of vehicle hit him and his wife and daughter. He was hospitalized for a day. His wife was hospitalized at the Ryder Trauma Center until Saturday.
"When the car hit me, me and my wife were on the ground," he said. "I cannot remember anything. I thank God I have a pastor to help us. We will never forget my daughter."
He said they were walking to a grocery store when the accident happened.
Cherident broke down and started crying at the end of the interview, saying, "I want my daughter back. I want my daughter back."
Cherident, who is Haitian, said he and his wife and daughter had moved to South Florida from Chile last September and were looking forward to a new life in Miami-Dade County. He has no job and very little money and is trying to raise some cash through a fundraising site.
His wife, Mirha Bazile, with stitches around her mouth from the accident, said she was in too main pain and had difficulty speaking and was not able to talk about her daughter and the crash.
CBS4 caught up with them at the Paradise Funeral Chapel, where they were making final arrangements to say goodbye to Maritza.
CBS4 learned that the Funeral Chapel is covering the entire cost of the services and the burial of Maritza.
Funeral Director Michael Banea said, "This doesn't happen that often, but we do this for any child up to 10 years old. We are all human and we all have the same needs and desires regardless of our economic background. We are here to serve them. It is a tragedy. I feel so sorry for them, and we are here to help and proud to help them."
Jackson Janvier, who is the family's pastor and is from the Clinic of the Restoration Church of God, said, "I would like the public to help us find the people who did this because we are looking for justice. This is a felony. This is a crime."
The Miami-Dade Police Department is urging people to come forward if they can help and call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS (8477). There is a reward of up to $5,000.
