A tragic loss of a four-year-old girl, Abigail Hernandez, who was killed last month in a parking lot accident at the Mall of Georgia. Despite initial inaction, the Gwinnett County District Attorney's Office has decided to press charges against the teen driver responsible for Abigail's death, as reported by FOX 5 Atlanta.
The young girl was with her father, and sister when a pickup truck collided with her outside Dick's Sporting Goods. "A car came out of nowhere," Marina Hernandez, the girl’s mother, said in an interview with FOX 5 Atlanta. The Gwinnett Police initially decided not to charge the unnamed 18-year-old driver, after finding no evidence of reckless driving, drug or alcohol influence, or an attempt to flee the scene. This initial decision sparked a wave of frustration among Abigail's family, who clamored for some form of accountability in the harsh wake of their loss.
Marina Hernandez described her daughter as a joyful child who dreamt of becoming either an artist or a doctor, a little girl who "brought so much happiness to everyone," as recalled in statements obtained by Atlanta News First and FOX 5 Atlanta. The charges that the prosecutor's office plans to bring against the driver are expected to be misdemeanors, although the specifics have not been disclosed.
In response to the tragic accident, the Gwinnett Police conducted a detailed investigation which included reviewing Event Data Recorder information, and a collision recreation, to inform their sobering conclusion. "Only serious traffic offenses are enforceable on private property, and the circumstances of this incident do not meet the criteria for such charges," the Gwinnett County Police Department said, in a statement to Atlanta News First. The driver was not found to be driving recklessly, as defined by Georgia Law, nor under the influence. These findings did not quell the Hernandez family's resolve, as they believe the system has let them, and Abby, down.
The anguish is palpable in the words of Lauren Paz, Abigail's aunt, "They may not have wanted to lock him up and ruin his life but we didn’t want to put her into the ground," she told Atlanta News First. The family's pursuit of justice continues as they plan to protest outside the Gwinnett County Courthouse, searching for a semblance of justice in a situation marred by tragedy and grief. Marina Hernandez holds onto the feeling that her daughter is still with her, a sentiment that fuels her fight for justice. "I just want to hold her," she said, a heartbreaking reflection of a mother's love, and despair.
