Pastor asks for help for grieving mother in Miami-Dade

Video shows moments leading to fatal crash in Miami-Dade County

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – While a single mother has to make funeral arrangements to bury her 7-year-old son, her 3-year-old daughter remains hospitalized in critical condition on Saturday. Most of her family is in Guatemala and her pastor is asking the community for help.

Her nightmare started while driving on Thursday. After making a turn, the driver of a black Ford F-150 crashed into her silver Toyota Camry killing her son and injuring her daughter in Miami-Dade County's Westchester neighborhood. 

The mother is a member of the JTP Kendall church at 4707 SW 127 Ave.where she is known as Yamileth, her son is known as Daniel and her daughter as Daisa. Yader Simpson, the church's pastor, said Daniel was "always jumping, always smiling, always funny."

Simpson said the church is asking the public to help the boy's family and set up a GoFundMe page with the mother's authorization. 

Florida Highway Patrol troopers are still investigating the crash. The driver of the black Ford F-150 -- identified as 24-year-old Melissa Vasquez -- was seriously injured, and her two passengers suffered minor injuries.

Surveillance video shows the drivers of two cars were speeding westbound on Bird Road before the mother made the turn. The speeding cars were just feet away about 10 p.m. at Southwest 92nd Avenue near the Palacio de Los Jugos.

"We found out that someone apparently ran a red light," Simpson said. 

Simpson also said the grieving mother said Friday was "the darkest day of her life," and she wants nothing more than to wake up from the nightmare and to have her son and daughter back in her arms. 

For more information about how to help the family, call Simpson at 305-888-6000 or e-mail pastoryader@jtpkendall.com


About the Authors:

The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.