ARCADIA, Fla. — A 4-year-old girl is dead and a 5-year-old girl was sent to the hospital in serious condition after an SUV hit them while they were on their daycare playground, the Florida Highway Patrol said.
It happened around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday inside a fenced playground at the Imagination Station Preschool on East Magnolia Street in Arcadia.
Both girls were playing inside the fenced playground area when an SUV, driven by an 18-year-old woman from Tampa, drove over a raised concrete curb, hit a street sign, crossed the sidewalk on the southern side of East Magnolia Street.
Then, the driver collided with a chain-link fence, metal post and wooden support post at the corner of the daycare. The SUV continued east and collided with several other wooden support posts and playground equipment.
During this time, troopers say the SUV hit both girls. The SUV finally came to a stop after it hit a tree in the playground.
"This is devastating to everybody," Trooper Ken Watson said in an interview with 10 Tampa Bay.
The 4-year-old girl was rushed to Gulf Coast Hospital in critical condition and later died from her injuries, troopers say. FHP says the 5-year-old girl was rushed to Desoto Memorial Hospital, where she is stable and being treated for serious injuries.
The 18-year-old driver was also taken to the hospital with minor injuries. Troopers say she was arrested and jailed because she didn't have a valid driver's license.
The driver was identified as Kiara Morant. Morant's charge is for driving without a valid driver's license, but troopers told 10 Tampa Bay that could change as the homicide unit is now involved.
"At this point in time, we believe this driver never was issued a driver's license," Watson said.
FHP says a criminal investigation into the crash is ongoing. Watson adds that FHP "will do everything that we can to bring justice to these families."
Morant was granted a $120 bond based on her current charge. Her uncle said it's unfortunate she bonded out of jail so easily.
On Thursday, the family of the 4-year-old killed came by the memorial. They said her name was Maleena. Her uncle expressed how sad it is to lose her.
“It’s sad for her to go this way. So young and pretty, it’s really sad," Oscar Mendoza said.
"At this point in time, the Florida Highway Patrol just wants to remind everyone that how critical it is to make sure that we slow down and we pay attention whenever we're in a school zone or we are approaching any type of business that has small children in and around a playground," Watson said.
Morant's next court date is April 27 in DeSoto County Court.