Early Sunday, 32-year-old Nafeece Acquil Jenkins was hit and killed by a speeding white Honda while crossing Lehigh Avenue. The incident occurred around 1:44 a.m. on the 1200 block of Lehigh Avenue, with the force of the impact throwing Jenkins onto the car and then back onto the street, ultimately costing him his life. The driver, who police believe fled on foot, abandoned the damaged vehicle, which was later recovered unattended in a lot on the 1200 block of Park Avenue, according to FOX29.
Sharon Carter, the victim's mother, expressed her heartbreak and the family's plea, in a statement to NBC Philadelphia, "I’m numb, because I really can’t believe it happened. Can’t really believe it happened," Carter said Sunday. "You didn’t have to hit him like a bowling ball and keep going. Just turn yourself in and give closure. That’s all we are asking." Jenkins, who was her oldest son, is survived by a 1-year-old boy.
While investigators have yet to provide a description of the fleeing driver, the police seek the public's help in identifying the individual responsible for the fatal crash. In the wake of this tragedy, friends and family of Jenkins plan to honor his memory with a balloon release Monday night, as reported by KYW Newsradio.
