Harlem driver arrested for fatally hitting 3-year-old girl crossing street with family

A Harlem antheral was arrested for fatally mowing down a 3-year-old girl as she crossed a Manhattan thoroughfare with her parent and siblings successful July, cops said.

Devon Joseph, 41, was arrested Friday greeting and charged with centrifugal conveyance neglect to output to pedestrian for the July 11 collision, cops said. He was issued a table quality summons for the charge, prosecutors said.

Little Jaynelyse Valdez was headed to Harlem Hospital with her 37-year-old parent and 2 brothers, ages 2 and 4 months, to sojourn their terminally sick aunt successful the ICU, with a home-cooked repast successful manus for different visitors, according to an online fundraiser created by the family.

The household was crossing the street, steps distant from the infirmary erstwhile Joseph, driving a Nissan Pathfinder, heading southbound connected Lenox Ave., made a near onto W. 135th St. barrelling into them successful the crosswalk astatine astir 7:40 p.m., cops said. Both Joseph and Jaynelyse’s household had greenish lights, cops said.

“The feline who deed her picked her up and brought her into the hospital,” a witnesser said of Joseph astatine the time. “He was with his family, but helium was not going to permission her.”

Despite the speedy attraction she received, Jaynelyse couldn’t beryllium saved.

“It was terrible,” said the witness. “That mediocre babe and her mother. She was hysterical.”

Joseph besides struck the girl’s 2-year-old brother, Jonvier, but helium lone suffered a bump to the head, household said. Her parent and babe member were not struck.

After rushing the kid to the hospital, Joseph remained astatine the scene.

Jaynelyse was conscionable days distant from celebrating her day erstwhile she was killed, heartbroken relatives said.

“She was gonna beryllium 4 connected the 15th,” small Jaynelyse’s paternal grandma Kenya antecedently said from their location successful New Rochelle. “She was truthful happy, truthful smart, truthful caring.”

Kenya, 52, said her granddaughter was mature for her age.

“Jaynelyse was an aged woman successful the assemblage of a small girl,” she said. “She started taking astatine 7 months oregon so.”

Her archetypal connection was “Mama,” Kenya recalled somberly.

“There’s nary words,” the small girl’s dazed begetter said astatine the time. “There’s nary words for it.”

Originally Published: November 2, 2024 astatine 12:00 PM EDT