Another Texas child, the twinsâ neighbor, was also injured in the May 22 incident in Dallas
- An adult and three children were hit by a pickup truck near Felix Botello Elementary School in Dallas, according to police
- Police said 9-year-old Jose Garcia Ledesma died
- Two other children, including Joseâs twin sister Keyla, were transported to the hospital in âcritical but stable conditionâ
A boy is dead and two other children are injured after being struck by a vehicle outside a Texas elementary school, according to officials.
Dallas Police Department Assistant Chief Catrina Shead said in a press conference, shared by WFAA-TV, that the three children and an adult were struck by a pickup truck near Felix Botello Elementary School in Dallas.
She said police responded to the incident at around 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 22. Police shared on X at the time that it was âinvestigating a major accident in the 200 block of south Marsalis Avenue.â
Shead said that the adult and three children who had been hit by the car on the scene were transported to nearby hospitals by Dallas Fire Rescue. One of the children died from the injuries sustained in the incident and the two other kids were in âcritical but stable condition.â The adult was transported in âstable condition.â
The boy who died is 9-year-old Jose Garcia Ledesma, according to WFAA-TV, which cited the Dallas County Medical Examinerâs Office.
The Dallas County Medical Examinerâs Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLEâs request for comment.
Shead added that the driver involved in the incident stopped after the incident, and it âdoes not appearâ that there was âspeeding involved.â
Joseâs mother Deyaneira Ledesma told KXAS-TV that she had been walking with her twins, Jose and Keyla, and another student back to their apartment complex across from the elementary school when they were struck by a car. She told the outlet that she had looked both ways before crossing but had not been at a crosswalk.
Deyaneira told KXAS-TV that her daughter Keyla suffered a broken leg and hip. In a translated post from the outlet, she described her son as her âlittle angel,â her âgreatest loveâ and her âeverything.â The family has also started fundraising for funeral costs on CarsonsVillage.org.
On the website, the family wrote: âA student at Felix Botello Elementary, Jose found happiness in the simple thingsâplaying soccer, splashing in water, and dancing. Known for his vibrant personality, he will be remembered as an energetic dancer who always brought a smile to those around him. Joseâs memory will live on in the hearts of all who knew and loved him.â
A vigil was held for Jose on Friday, May 23, at Felix Botello Elementary School, according to WFAA-TV. One of the parents at the school, Cynthia Rocha, described Joseâs death as âvery sadâ to the outlet, and called for changes to be made to make the area safer.
âItâs not so much the kids. Itâs the cars,â said Rocha of the traffic on South Marsalis Avenue. âThey get off the freeway and they go. Or theyâre about to get on the freeway and they go fast. We donât have any speed bumps. We have one crossing guard. But we do need some change.â