4-year-old child dies in hit and run in Hampton County. Mom wants ‘justice for my baby’
Ja’Karie Breland loved space. And sharks. And snakes.
The 4-year-old was “a silly boy but very, very intelligent,” his mother, Latrell Davis, told The Island Packet.
“He’s just a joy,” Davis said. “He put a smile on everybody’s face,” comforting people when they were sad.
Ja’Karie was walking his puppy with his uncle in Varnville on Saturday evening when all three were hit by a car whose driver didn’t stop.
Ja’Karie and the pitbull puppy later died, according to Varnville Police Chief Tyrone Smith, who said police responded to the emergency on Palmetto Avenue near Baxley Street around 5:45 p.m. Saturday.
Hampton County deputy coroner Preston Altman confirmed the child died at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston early Sunday morning from injuries he sustained from being struck by a motor vehicle Saturday evening. He said the case was still under investigation by the coroner’s office.
Ja’Karie’s uncle sustained non-life threatening injuries and told police he had seen a black sedan driving down the highway, so he tried to grab his nephew and the dog, but the vehicle hit all of them and continued to drive, Chief Smith said.
“At the end of the day, we want clarity for the family and justice for this young man,” Smith said. “This breaks my heart, and it’s just so sad.”
Ja’Karie’s mother said her son, like most kids, loved his tablet. He watched Peppa Pig, Miniforce, and YouTube. She remembers him even speaking Russian sometimes, because he learned sayings from his favorite TV shows.
“He just soaked it all up, and could tell you anything you wanted to know” she said. “He was a gentle giant, that’s what my baby was.”
The hashtag #JusticeForKarie has gained traction on Facebook locally, and Davis, Ja’Karie’s mom, said she’s received overwhelming support, including messages from New York and even Africa.
“I want justice for my baby,” Davis said. “To the person that did this, I am not mad at you, but just please turn yourself in and don’t make it any harder than it is. I forgive you, but I will never forget. You’ve got your life, but my baby’s life is taken because of your cowardly act. Please turn yourself in.”
The investigation is open, and police are asking anyone with information to report it to the Varnville Police Department at 803-943-2979, Hampton County Dispatch at 803-943-9261, or any area law enforcement. The caller can remain anonymous.
