The distraught mom of the 10-girl-old lady who was fatally struck by a motorist with solely a learner’s allow tearfully described her youngest daughter Thursday as her “child” and her “mini-me.”
Davina Afokoba, was on the sidewalk on Seashore Channel Drive close to Dix Avenue in Far Rockaway when a black Mazda misplaced management and jumped the curb round 4:15 p.m. Wednesday, placing her and a 32-year-old girl earlier than slamming right into a automotive wash, authorities stated.
Davina’s mom, Priscilla Afokoba, couldn’t say a phrase with out crying Thursday and even dropped to the bottom in entrance of her residence.
“My child is lifeless,” cried the grieving mother, who wanted to be held up by family and supporters. “They took my child away. They took my child away.”
“Davina is me, me, me,” Priscilla later informed reporters. “Davina is my mini-me. She is my child. My Davina, the day earlier than yesterday she introduced all her assignments, her homework. She has nothing lower than an A.”
“She is telling me how a lot I owe her for her good grades,” she added. “Davina stated, ‘I’m sensible.’ I informed her, ‘Sure, I do know.’ Davina wrote a e-book. I haven’t even learn it and so they take her away from me. She is just 10. She is just 10. By April 18, she can be 11.”
Davina was strolling residence from Problem Preparatory Constitution Faculty along with her brother when the crash occurred, her mom stated. It was unclear whether or not her brother was close to her when she was struck.
“I don’t perceive what occurred – how a child [was] strolling along with her sibling after which a automotive crashed into her,” she stated. “I don’t perceive. She was coming from college.”
Priscilla insisted Thursday on taking a stroll to the scene of the crash – a few block-and-a-half from the house – whereas clutching the blue-and-white costume Davina wore on her tenth birthday.
“I’m attempting to see Davina,” her mom stated. “I’m attempting to see Davina.”
Priscilla received down on her knees and peeked by way of the padlocked door of the automotive wash.
“I see her shoe,” she stated. “Davina, come give me a hug.”
Mom and daughter used to share a good embrace proper earlier than bedtime, Priscilla stated.
“She doesn’t sleep with out me giving her a kiss, right here, right here and right here,” she stated, pointing to each of her cheeks and brow. “If it isn't full, Davina won't sleep.”
“Davina doesn't give me a hug. She grips me, she grips me too tight,” she stated, hugging herself tightly.
Davina has an older sister and brother. The household migrated from Nigeria — the place her dad continues to be dwelling — a number of years in the past.
Davina liked cooking and dancing, based on her mom.
“The final time I got here, she did shrimp with spaghetti and loads of pepper,” stated Davina’s maternal aunt Tina Ijoma. “I couldn't inform her there was an excessive amount of pepper in it. I ate the little I may eat….not understanding that was the final day I used to be going to see her.”
“One factor I learn about her is that she loves her mom a lot,” she added. “She may be very near her mother.”
The 35-year-old driver who allegedly struck Davina had only a learner’s allow, police sources stated.
“We simply plead with everybody that new drivers ought to keep off the streets, you understand,” stated one other maternal aunt, Tamata Dabo. “That’s the ethical of all this, so harmless youngsters won't be snatched away from us. We beg town, the group, the police to do extra on that.”
The 32-year-old girl struck within the crash was taken to Jamaica Hospital, the place she was anticipated to outlive her accidents, based on sources, who stated the girl and the lady weren't collectively.
Surveillance video confirmed the driving force failed to barter a flip onto Seashore Channel Drive, and accelerated as she plowed by way of the busy intersection and slammed into the constructing, placing the pedestrians.
As of Thursday afternoon, no costs had been filed, the NYPD stated.
“Why [did] they take my child away?” Davina’s mother stated. “I don’t know. What did I do to that girl?”
Davina is the second Problem Preparatory Constitution Faculty pupil to die tragically over the previous 12 months, CEO Dr. Les Mullings stated close to the scene. Again in June, Justin Wallace, additionally 10, was fatally shot throughout a dispute between neighbors over a shared driveway.
“To me, that is like deja vu once more,” Mullings stated. “It took a toll on our faculty group, and for this to occur once more, it’s like, you understand, when will it finish? This wasn’t gun violence, but it surely was a tragedy. A toddler is misplaced, is gone.”
“[Davina] is a superb pupil, energetic, an awesome dancer…filled with goals and concepts,” he stated. “She was the lifetime of the celebration and bang, she is gone.”
Native metropolis council member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers stated town has to “have a look at the total scope of what happened yesterday and see how we are able to guarantee it doesn't occur once more.”
“I’m a mother,” Brooks-Powers stated. “This girl simply misplaced her daughter. I’m completely troubled by it. I really feel that girl’s ache. I heard her cry. I completely wish to repair it.”
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