NEW YORK CITY – The deaths of a 13-year-old and a 66-year-old are the latest in a disturbing trend of pedestrians being caught and killed in New York City this year.
On October 24, Niyell McCrorey, 13, was fatally struck by an automobile at the intersection of Manhattan Avenue and Cathedral Parkway.
After a week in the pediatric ICU, she died of her injuries.
“My daughter, Niyell, was a clever child. She did not bother anyone. “She was a sweetheart,” her father, Darnell Sealy-McCrorey, stated.
On Monday night, friends and family members lit candles and left their condolences at the spot.
I miss her voice, presence, touch, and scent. Alithia Mackins-Wilson says she misses everything about her grandchild.
Another fatal tragedy occurred on Sunday night in Harlem.
Officials said a driver in a Toyota RAV4 fled after hitting and killing a 66-year-old man strolling along Fifth Avenue at 135th Street about 9 p.m.
The man was sent to nearby Harlem Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.
The driver of the vehicle escaped the scene.
On Saturday night, a bicyclist was killed by a Toyota minivan that drove away from a police check and struck him at W. 155th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue.
These types of scenes are becoming increasingly common.
According to the NYPD’s figures, automobiles have struck 7,027 people this year. That represents a 3.2% increase over the 6,811 accidents reported this time last year.
The McCroreys hope that their plight will convince drivers to slow down.
“Be aware of your speed. While you’re driving. My daughter had been brain-dead for seven days. She struggled till her death from a catastrophic injury.” Sealy-McCrorey explained.
Niyell has joined the grim statistics. More than 200 pedestrians have perished this year due to injuries.
According to Transportation Alternatives, “New York is failing its citizens.”
Reference: 13-year-old, 66-year-old hit killed by vehicles amid rise in pedestrian deaths in NYC