Three Florida teens were tragically killed after they were hit by an SUV while waiting for their bus to a soccer tournament.
Gedeon Desir, 13, Lens Desir, 15, and Richecarde Dumay, 17, had been on the sidewalk heading to their bus stop when they were struck at 5.22am in North Miami on Saturday. None of the boys were related.
The three boys were members of the Little Haiti Football Club, a nonprofit organization that helps low-income children with athletic talent.
The three boys were members of the Little Haiti Football Club, a nonprofit organization that helps low-income children with athletic talent. Pictured right is Lens Desir with a teammate
Gedeon, Lens, and Richecarde were dressed in their uniforms for the Enigma Tournament in Weston that morning.
The driver, whose name has not been released, survived the crash and was hospitalized in serious condition.
A cause for the crash has not been released and it remains unclear if alcohol was involved.
Investigators told the Sun Sentinel that they are ‘going through the proper protocol’ to determine if the driver will face charges.
Authorities said the three teens were already dead when they received a call reporting the crash at Northeast 13th Avenue and 125th Street.
The three boys had been on the sidewalk heading to their bus stop when they were struck at 5.22am in North Miami on Saturday
The driver, whose name has not been released, survived the crash and was hospitalized in serious condition
The teens were hit right by their regular pickup spot.
‘They were pedestrians on a sidewalk. They died on impact,’ said a police spokeswoman.
When the bus arrived in Weston without the three teens, their coaches began frantically calling them.
‘Eventually somebody answered one of the phones, a police officer, but they didn’t give the coaches any information,’ Pat Santangelo, who sits on the board of directors for the non-profit, told the Miami Herald.
A cause for the crash has not been released and it remains unclear if alcohol was involved
Investigators said they are ‘going through the proper protocol’ to determine if the driver will face charges
Santangelo said the other members of the teens’ teams were not told about the crash during the tournament.
They were then taken back to Little Haiti Soccer Park, where they were ‘told and greeted by grief counselors’, he added.
Santangelo said many of the 100 kids enrolled in the free program are either homeless, undocumented, or come from low-income families. They range in age from five to 17 years old.
‘This team helps kids like these go from hopelessness to having a goal to work towards,’ he said. ‘A lot of these kids come from nothing. They’re beyond high-risk.’
Many of the 100 kids enrolled in the free program are either homeless, undocumented, or come from low-income families. Pictured is Lens Desir
Many of the children who play for the Little Haiti Football Club earn scholarships to universities out of state. Pictured are Lens Desir (left) and Richcarde Dumay (right)
Private sponsors and local businesses help the low-budget organization pay for uniforms and other expenses.
Many of the children who play for the Little Haiti Football Club earn scholarships to universities out of state.
‘The kids that died today had promise,’ said Santangelo. ‘There was nothing but hope in front of them. Now it’s all gone.’
A GoFundMe campaign for the teens’ funeral expenses has since raised more than $25,000. Any additional funds will go to the organization.
Coaches, counselors, teammates, and parents will meet on Monday to decide how they will pay tribute to the three teens.
A GoFundMe campaign for the teens’ funeral expenses has since raised more than $25,000. Any additional funds will go to the organization