An 11-year-old girl who was injured in a collision with an ATV that killed her boyfriend died days later.
Christina “Tina” Bird was driving an all-terrain vehicle with her family friend, Jacob Martinez, 12, when they were hit by a side-by-side UTV, a utility vehicle, on Saturday, according to investigators.
The driver of the UTV, which is also an all-terrain vehicle but is generally larger and often used for commercial purposes, drove off at high speed and was not identified or caught.
Jacob was pronounced dead at the scene after the incident around 9 p.m. near the Stoddard Wells vehicle area in Apple Valley, California. Christina was transported to St Mary’s Hospital and then airlifted to Loma Linda University Medical Center. Her family announced on Wednesday that she had died after watching for her on Tuesday evening.
A GoFundMe page Christina’s Uncle Ernie Nunez created for her mother, Felica Nunez, reads that “the doctors did their final tests today to see if there’s still life in Tina. The results were negative’.
“Tina has grown her pair of wings to join her grandma and grandpa in heaven where she is pain free,” he wrote.
Christina’s family hopes the driver who fled after leaving two children on a dirt road will come forward.
“If you were there with that person, or know of that person who was there… saw what happened… please be compassionate and come forward,” said Jacob’s sister, Cynthia Nunez. “Don’t hide them.”
The families of both victims are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact the California Highway Patrol in Victorville, or Crime Stoppers.
“If ANYONE has any information about the person who hit them, please let me know. GoFundMe page for Christina states.
A GoFundMe page for Jacob describes him as “the sweetest, most affectionate little boy whose life was cut way too short.”
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