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Vigil honors child killed on playground
Haley Hinds reports.
ARCADIA, Fla. - Friday night, family and friends held a vigil to remember a 4-year-old girl killed after a driver without a license crashed into a DeSoto County playground.
It happened Wednesday at Imagination Station Learning Center in Arcadia. A 5-year-old girl was also seriously injured.
Hours before the vigil, the driver, 18-year-old Kiara Morant turned herself in on upgraded felony charges related to the death and injuries caused. It's at least some justice for the family of Maleena Valdez, mourning the sweet, bubbly little girl they lost so senselessly.
For some moments, there are no words. Perhaps, the sight of so many holding a heartbroken family together said it all.
"We miss her so much, so, so much," said Josephine Valdez, Maleena's grandmother. "Her laughter, her smile."
"It's a tragedy," said family friend Lynette Lovett.
Wednesday afternoon, Florida Highway Patrol says 18-year-old Kiara Morant was driving a Jeep on East Magnolia Street in Arcadia when she jumped a curb, crashed through a fence, and into the playground. She hit Maleena Valdez and a 5-year-old girl. Valdez died at the hospital. The other child was seriously injured.
"The accident was just uncalled for, uncalled for," Lovett said.
Morant was arrested Wednesday night for driving without a license. She bonded out. But when charges were upgraded to the felony level, she turned herself in to Fort Myers police Friday morning. Morant faces two counts of driving without a license for a crash involving serious injury or death. She'll remain in the Lee County jail until she's transferred back to DeSoto County.
"The person who did it shouldn't have been driving and shouldn't have been allowed to be let back out on the street," said Diamone Galimore.
The arrest at least brings some peace for Maleena's parents, Savannah and Miguel, and big sister, Jazziah.
"She didn't deserve this," said Mayra Rodriguez. "But Savannah, she's going to get through it. She has all of us around her. She wants justice and she deserves it and she is going to get it."
Until then, they're getting support from all over.
"I really, really want to thank every single one of y'all for being here," Josephine Valdez said.
A growing memorial of stuffed animals and flowers outside the playground are reminders of "happy, sassy, and pure-hearted" Maleena, a little girl who had many more days left to play.
"We want justice for Maleena. She didn't deserve this," Galimore said.