POINCIANA, Fla. – There are growing calls for change after a grandmother and her three grandchildren were killed in a crash in the Poinciana area Sunday night. Florida Highway Patrol says the driver responsible is a teen who ran a stop sign in the area of San Miguel Road and Laurel Avenue.
The tragedy has brought increased attention to a neighborhood that is now demanding something be done to make their streets safer. News 6 asked leaders in Osceola County to share their insight, and the only response we received was that the county is not commenting on the open investigation.
Sabrina Hernandez says she lost her children — 11-year-old Miley Cruz, 9-year-old Marvin Cruz, 1-year-old Anayari Hernandez — and 50-year-old mother Trinidad Hernandez in an instant.
“I’m dying inside,” said Sabrina Hernandez. “I don’t get to see my children anymore. I don’t get to see my mother anymore.”
Hernandez’s father, Angel Hernandez, who was a passenger in the car, also suffered serious injuries. Hernandez also wants to see more traffic enforcement in the area.
Florida Highway Patrol says the 15-year-old driver who crashed into the family’s Honda HR-V did not have a learner’s permit. According to their initial report, there were also no other licensed drivers in the car with him. Three other teens suffered minor injuries.
As the community mourns, they are asking for accountability and action from Osceola County. Neighbors know the teen was driving illegally and sped through a stop sign, but they believe added safety measures would prevent more tragedies in an area where they see crashes too often.
News 6 spoke with a crossing guard in the area who says she has seen too many close calls.
“I think that would slow them down with their speed if they had speed bumps, stop signs, flashing lights,” said Madelyn Cruz.
It’s a concern for parents too. One mother said her kids’ bus stop is on that corner.
“It’s terrifying when I’m not here knowing that they have to walk,” said Carina Grecko.
Grecko says she has seen at least 10 crashes at the intersection in the time she has lived here.
News 6 asked Osceola County to share the data they have, and Osceola County Fire Rescue said they have already been called out to five crashes from January 2023 through August 2023. It’s the total number they saw in all of 2022, and 2023 is not yet over.
A growing memorial for the victims now rests beside the scattered debris still present days later. People continued to stop by throughout the day on Tuesday to leave flowers and other keepsakes.
“This is something different,” said one woman. “It was not their time to die.”
School resumed after the Labor Day holiday with a district crisis team helping support grieving students and staff. Osceola County Public Schools says one of the children who died went to Koa Elementary. The other went to a charter school.
A GoFundMe account has also been set up in honor of the family. It has already raised $47,000.
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