Manteca Child's Death Sparks Renewed Effort To Safeguard Intersections Near School
MANTECA (CBS13) — A child struck and killed while walking to school has her family and community in mourning and ready to prevent another tragedy they call preventable.
Jordan Morrison, 6, was struck and killed on East Edison Street and Lincoln Avenue, down the street from Shasta Elementary School.
John Morrison hadn't registered the loss until he stood before a makeshift memorial for his little girl, feet away from where she was killed hours earlier while walking to school.
"Last thing she said to me was, 'Goodnight I love you and I'll see you in the morning,'" he said.
The 6-year-old was walking across the street with her older sister, he says, when a car suddenly struck her. Witnesses say the driver appeared distracted.
Manteca Police say the driver eventually stopped, but won't say how fast he was going or whether he faces charges. Police don't believe drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash. The driver is cooperating, but the investigation is ongoing.
For now, parents say they've turned their attention to the dangerous intersection.
"It's frustrating, because this could have been prevented," said Jonathan Costa.
The intersection is just blocks from the school, but parents say it doesn't have a single crossing guard..
"Probably everybody like myself thought, well the school's handling it," said Bennie Suggs. "But the school's only got certain reach. We found that out the hard way today."
In a matter of hours, Suggs recruited about a dozen volunteer dads for a new crossing guard group. They plan to name it Jordan's Crossing.
"We need people out here at these intersections helping and taking care of our babies," he said.
Jordan was a cheerleader for the Manteca Chargers. Her coach, Jeremy Haskell, says she was really looking forward to the homecoming game this weekend.
"She was just a beautiful little girl and she will be—She's gonna be truly missed," he said.
Instead, the community will come together in her honor and release balloons as her father holds on to six years of memories.
"Six years is too young," he said.
