Kyrillos Gendy, 4, was hit and killed Friday by a 2013 Mercedes-Benz near a Staten Island, N.Y., bagel shop. Gendy was walking with his mother and sister when he was hit. The driver, who turned himself in on Saturday, had reportedly gotten out of the car upon hitting the family, then got back in and drove away.
“Even if justice is brought, the damage is done,” said the boy’s cousin Adam Gendy, 22, according to the Daily News. “The boy is dead. The family is essentially dead. We’re just emotionally traumatized.” He said the boy’s mother, Arini Thomas, is unable to cope with the loss and is in a state of denial. A psychiatrist was unable to help.
The driver, John Sanjurjo, 33, has been charged with leaving the scene of the accident.
Witness Thomas Thanasoulis told NBC New York: “The Mercedes stopped. Everybody was yelling at him. He knew what he did. He pulled out of the parking lot of the deli where I am standing right now and he ran the child over. … He has no regard for life if he could leave a little child laying in the street after he ran him over and just drove away. He has no conscience.”
The accident occurred near Diddle Dee Bagel and Deli at 1334 Richmond Rd., Staten Island.
