Four-year-old girl killed outside Arcadia preschool after driver plows into playground, troopers say
ARCADE, Fla. - An 18-year-old without a valid driver's license was arrested after crashing into a DeSoto County playground, killing a 4-year-old and injuring a 5-year-old, troopers said.
The crash occurred Wednesday around 4:30 p.m. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the Tampa woman, identified by troopers as Kiara Morant, who is from Tampa, was heading east on Magnolia Street in a Jeep Cherokee, approaching SE Mills Avenue.
During this time, the two children were playing inside a fenced playground area at Imagination Station Preschool. One of the little girls was 4-year-old Maleena Faith Valdez, her family told FOX 13's Kimberly Kuizon.
"All she was doing was playing in the playground. We just want her back. We want her back," said her grandmother Josephine Valdez.
Maleena was inside the fenced yard at Imagination Station Preschool. Her mother was on her way from work to pick up her two daughters. It was supposed to be a day to celebrate their mom's birthday.
Instead, troopers said Morant traveled off the roadway and in the direction of the playground.
"Everybody at the daycare heard skeert, everybody saw a car coming so fast, it was just going so fast," said her sister Jazziah.
Images of Maleena Faith Valdez, provided by Savannah Valdez
Troopers said Morant traveled off the roadway and in the direction of the playground.
The Jeep traveled over a raised concrete curb, collided with a street sign, traveled over the sidewalk on the southern side of Magnolia Street, crashed into a chain-link fence, metal post and wooden-support post at the corner of the preschool, according to FHP.
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Troopers said it wasn't enough to stop the Jeep. It continued traveling east and crashed into several other wooden-support posts and playground equipment. The 4-year-old and 5-year-old girls were playing in that area and were struck by the Jeep.
Eventually, the vehicle stopped after crashing into a tree. The 4-year-old girl was taken to Gulf Coast Hospital where she passed away. The 5-year-old was taken to DeSoto Memorial Hospital in serious condition.
"We said our last goodbye to her last night, holding her hand. Just begging, please come back. Please don’t go," said Valdez.
Images of Maleena Faith Valdez, provided by Savannah Valdez
Morant was also taken to DeSoto Memorial Hospital with minor injuries. She was arrested for not having a valid driver's license and booked into the county jail.
"Flat out should not have been behind the wheel at the time" said Trooper Ken Watson.
Troopers said she bonded out before the child died, and could face additional charges. They also said she did not own the Jeep, and the individual who handed her the keys could also be charged.
"Right now this driver faces several felony charges, just based simply upon the fact that she was not properly licensed," said Trooper Watson.
Maleena's grandmother has many unanswered questions, but for Morant she said this: "Your face says it all. That you don’t care. You don’t care. You didn’t care. You just killed our grandbaby. We want justice and we will get justice," she said. "We just want her back. We want her back."
A GoFundMe was created to support the family.