Driver runs down child at school

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An 8-year-old Kingsbridge Heights girl was killed outside her elementary school when a car reversed into a group of pedestrians on Oct. 24, police said.

Students and parents were gathered outside the Luisa Pineiro Fuentes School of Science and Discovery (P.S. 307) at 124 Eames Place around 2:45 p.m. for dismissal when a 55-year-old woman parked on Claflin Avenue reversed her Honda Accord down the one way street onto Eames Place, jumped the curb and struck a group of ten women and children, including third grade student Rylee Ramos.

Police said the driver has not been charged, though it was unclear why she reversed down the street. An investigation is ongoing.

Rylee was transported to St. Barnabas Hospital, where her family was informed she had succumbed to lung injuries from the crash, after being pinned between the car and a “No Parking” pole on Eames Place, her sister Jessica Ramos, 19, said.

Three other children and six women were also transported to St. Barnabas Hospital and Jacobi Medical Center, all of whom were listed in stable condition, according to police.

Ms. Ramos said her mother, who was picking up Rylee and their 7-year-old brother from the school to take them shopping for Halloween costumes, was bruised in the crash, but managed to call her older daughter after emergency vehicles arrived at the scene.

“As soon as I got the call, my heart dropped and I just ran,” said Ms. Ramos, whose family lives a few blocks from the school on Sedgwick Avenue. “I’m still in shock myself.” 

She said Rylee told her mother she had already had a bad day at school, having gotten a yellow sticker instead of her usual green sticker on a school chart. Her mother was hugging the girl to console her when the accident happened.

“I can’t believe this is real,” Ms. Ramos said. “I refuse to believe that it’s true.”

On Monday, police had placed barricades at both ends of Eames Place to prevent any cars from driving past the school during drop-off and dismissal times.

Kingsbridge, P.S. 307, car accident, death, Rylee Ramos, Fernando Cabrera
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