Teen killed, girl seriously injured in Halloween crashes
Two families’ lives were changed by tragedies involving a teenager and a 6-year-old on Halloween.
Brazyl Monique Ward’s siblings and parents gathered around her hospital bed at University Medical Center after she was hit by a car while she was trick-or-treating. The driver fled and hasn’t been found.
Brazyl was dressed as a pink Power Ranger for Halloween. She was trick-or-treating at a church near her school, Kim Elementary. According to police, she was hit at about 7:30 p.m. on Peace Way near Tenaya Way.
She was still in critical but stable condition at UMC Monday afternoon, Las Vegas police spokesman Larry Hadfield said.
The driver of the car that hit her fled the scene in what police thought was a silver Volkswagon Jetta or Ford Focus. The driver was believed to be a man in his twenties with facial hair.
Brazyl’s mother Tiffany posted photos on Facebook throughout the weekend.
“As most of you may know already my baby girl, my mini me, our princess was struck by a hit and run driver while trick or treating… my heart hurts n soul hurts… now my baby in for the fight of her life right… please pray for our angel thank you”
In North Las Vegas that same night, Savannah McInnis was on her way home from trick-or-treating with her 2-year-old when she died in a car crash.
Savannah had just turned 17 three weeks before the crash. She was was on track to graduate early and was planning to start at the College of Southern Nevada in the fall.
She wanted to be a trauma nurse to provide for her two-year-old autistic son, Cayden.
“She knew she was going to have her hands full,” Julie McInnis, Cayden’s grandmother, said.
Savannah’s family and fiance, Jacob Varsalona, are taking care of Cayden.
He and his mother were riding with Varsalona’s aunt and uncle when the collision occurred. Wayne and Jo Fleming are still in the hospital with serious injuries.
Cayden was hospitalized after the crash, but he was not seriously hurt. He was released the next day.
“He’s totally fine,” Varsalona said.
Cayden’s grandmother is worried about how losing his mother will affect him.
“He doesn’t stay in a shell like many autistic kids do, but he needs a lot of therapy,” she said.
Savannah’s family has started a trust at Bank of America “that’s all for Cayden’s benefit and therapy,” she said.
McInnis is doing all she can to stay positive after losing her daughter.
“She was way too young,” she said. “My daughter was a beautiful soul who didn’t deserve to lose her life this way.”
North Las Vegas police have not made any arrests. They are still trying to determine who is at at fault in this case, a police spokesman said.