Baby girl orphaned and fighting for life after 'intoxicated' driver kills family
A baby girl has been left orphaned after her entire family was killed in a horrific New Year's Eve smash - and is now fighting for life in hospital.
A suspect could face three counts of murder and one of attempted murder if one-year-old baby Hanna Sofia Cortes Bernal survives her horrific injuries from the crash, which killed her mum, dad and sister, 5, in south Los Angeles. The family was killed when a speeding driver, who was fleeing a previous hit-and-run crash, deliberately drove through a stop sign and smashed into the family's Sedan so hard it was sent crashing through a street sign and a fence before exploding into flames.
The horrific event took place just forty minutes before midnight on New Year's Eve and saw 49-year-old Jose Manuel Pasgagasa pronounced dead at the scene, trapped inside the mangled car. While 26-year-old Luisa Bernal, and their five-year-old daughter Mia Pasgagasa, both died at hospital later that night despite the best efforts of medics.
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The horror smash happened less than an hour before midnight on New Year's Eve - Hanna Sofia Cortes Bernal is pictured second from left in a white romper suit (gofundme)Distraught local people described the horror scene as the everyday heroes rushed over to the wrecked car. A white Chevy Tahoe SUV had smashed into the family's car so hard it sounded like an explosion.
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Amilcar Lopez told ABC7: "As soon as I saw the little kids in bad condition, with blood all over them, I couldn't hold it and I just started crying".
The driver smashed into the family's car so hard it sounded like an explosion (ABC)Deputy Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department, Donald Graham, revealed there had been four fatal car crashes over the New Year weekend alone. He said: "We’ve just come through the holidays, which should be a time of celebration and renewal for all of our communities.
"And yet we’ve had four [fatal crashes] over the weekend that [have] resulted in the loss of six human lives in the city of Los Angeles due to traffic collisions. Last year, we’re going to end up with almost as many people killed in traffic collisions as we did by violent homicide."
A car was caught on camera speeding off from a hit and run before the crash (ABC)Brave little Hanna was not initially expected to survive but has battled through and police now say she is showing signs of recovery after the dreadful crash days ago. She will soon be two years old and is being treated in a paediatric intensive care unit.
Police in Los Angeles held a press conference about the crash, which took place in the south of the city, and described Hanna's fight as a miracle. Emotional LAPD detective Ryan Moreno said the Colombian family had moved to Southern California around a year ago, looking for a better life.
A one-year-old girl has been left orphaned and fighting for her life after a driver fleeing a hit-and-run slammed into her family's car (ABC)A GoFundMe page set up by one of Jose's daughters who remained in Colombia, South America, is now trying to raise enough money to bring the family's bodies back home. It states the family crossed the border into the US in November 2022.
A candlelight vigil was held by the local community on Tuesday and was attended by witnesses who had heard the crash and ran to help the family.
LAPD detective Ryan Moreno spoke at an emotional press conference (ABC)
Tributes at the scene (ABC)Meanwhile, the driver of the SUV, 22-year-old Jordan Kahari, is still in hospital. His injuries are described as non-life-threatening. Detective Moreno said police are awaiting the results of a toxicology report and they suspect Kahari was driving under the influence.
He is suspected of fleeing a previous hit and run before he crashed into the family.
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