Vigil held for 8-year-old Southwest Houston girl killed after being hit by car
Vigil held for 8-year-old girl struck, killed by car
A southwest Houston community is mourning after an 8-year-old girl was struck and killed by a car right in front of their apartment complex. A vigil was held on Wednesday night.
HOUSTON - Family, friends, and community members gathered Wednesday night for a candlelight vigil to honor 8-year-old Emmanuela Aifuwa, who was struck and killed by a car in southwest Houston on February 24.
The vigil took place on the 9400 block of Concourse Drive, near Bissonnet Street, where Aifuwa was fatally injured. Mourners lit candles, played music, and released balloons at the site where she was last seen.
What we know:
Aifuwa had just returned home from school when the incident occurred around 3:45 p.m. Monday. According to police, she was dropped off by her school bus at her apartment complex and was speaking to a friend across the street when she ran into the roadway. Surveillance footage shows the driver did not have time to stop before hitting the child.
Her mother, Susie, spoke with FOX 26 at the vigil.
A candlelight vigil was held for Emmanuela Aifuwa, the 8-year-old girl who was struck and killed by a car on Monday in Southwest Houston.
"I'm not good," she said. "She was my only child, my only hope. A pretty girl. It's almost like she's still alive. That's what I'm thinking. Maybe she would just walk up, ‘Mama, it's just a prank.’"
Loved ones described Aifuwa as a bright, happy, and intelligent child who excelled in school and spoke four languages. Teachers and classmates from Horn Elementary, where she was a student, also attended the vigil.
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Safety concerns during after-school hours:
Paola Pineda, a teacher who rides the bus with students, was one of the last people to speak with Aifuwa before the accident. Police say the school bus had already left the location before the accident occurred. The section of Concourse is a busy area, with heavily populated communities and heavy traffic after school.
"All the kids we drop off at this stop, they live in this apartment. So they're not supposed to cross the street. But once we leave, the kids are here. So we don't know what happens. This is just a tragedy," Pineda said.
"Emmanuela was my baby. She had a beautiful smile. She was so sweet, she was full of life. That's the girl that I want to remember."
A GoFundMe has been set up to support the family.
The Source: Sherman Desselle spoke with the child's mother, one of her teachers, and Fox 26 spoke with HPD at the scene of the incident Monday,