INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis family wants answers after someone hit and killed 3-year-old Jyrie Mathews.
It happened in the parking lot of Clearwater Village Shopping Center off 82nd Street around 7:30 p.m. Monday.
"They just hit my baby, and they just kept going. They didn't even stop," said Lakiea Murry, Jyrie's mother. "I looked up and the last thing I saw was a white SUV that was heading towards DSW."
Murry said that evening, her car began overheating. She pulled into the near-empty shopping center and parked in a parking space away from the stores.
Jyrie was in the backseat.
"I was going to wait a little while longer to put antifreeze in there," said Murry. "I got in the car, and then, he got his ball, and then, he dribbled his ball behind the car. Then when I didn't hear the ball bouncing no more, I got out of the car, and I was calling his name. Then, I just saw him laying there."
Murry said a car entered the parking lot, hit her son and drove away. She said she called 911 and performed CPR on Jyrie until paramedics arrived.
"I asked if I could ride in the ambulance to the hospital, and they told me I couldn't. They didn't give me no reason," said Murry.
Murry said a police officer gave her a ride to the hospital.
"She said, 'Before you get in my car, I have to search you,'" said Murry. "So, she patted me down. I said, 'That's fine, you can pat me down, but what is that for? Protocol or something?' She said, 'Yeah.'"
Murry said Jyrie was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The family is hoping surveillance video from nearby businesses leads them closer to finding the driver responsible.
"I just feel like people need to slow down, pay more attention and stop," said Murry.
Murry says Jyrie loved basketball.
"He would always have a basketball with him," said Murry. "The car is filled with basketballs, the inside of the car, the trunk, that's all he loved is basketball."
Murry has this message to the driver:
"I believe that it was an accident, but at the same time, I still want the person to know you hit my son, and he was only 3 years old, and he loved basketball, and I just believe he had a long life to live," said Murry.
IMPD is asking anyone with information to call 317-262-TIPS.
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