NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — A 7-year-old girl was seriously injured in a crash on Church Street in Norfolk Tuesday evening, police said.
The call came in around 5:20 p.m.
The little girl’s family told 10 On Your Side’s Lauryn Moss her name is Na’Zaurya Shead, but her family calls her “Yah-Yah.”
Her mom, Laquanda Shead, said her daughter asked to meet up with her cousin.
“She was riding a bike, but this time she got off the bike,” she said. “She asked me if she could walk to the bus stop over here. She was meeting my older cousin.”
Her dad didn’t want to be on camera, but said this wasn’t unusual.
“They do the same thing every day. Always coming to the store,” he said.
Neither of her parents were nearby, but her cousin came racing back and told Shead something bad had happened.
“She had just walked away not even five minutes ago to come to this bus stop right here and my cousin came running back saying she got hit by a car,” Shead said.
The preliminary investigation revealed that the driver of a car was traveling through the 1700 block of Church Street when the child entered the street, and was hit, police said.
Shead ran to Church Street to find her daughter by a tree and not moving.
“My daughter is really little, so the first thing I thought was my baby,” Shead said. “My little baby. I didn’t want it to be what it is.”
Police said the 7-year-old was taken to the Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters with life-threatening injuries.
“She has a brain injury, so they just trying to control her brain injury,” Shead said. “I don’t know if she is moving because she is moving or it’s her reflex but she will squeeze your hand.”
She added: “I just pray she gets better and she can continue to be a little girl again and not her life be messed up or over because someone chose to speed down the street. … I really just want to be home with her and see her do all the stuff she loves to do. She loves to tumble.”
Shead told 10 On Your Side’s Lauryn Moss she wants the driver that hit her daughter to face charges.
“I would like her to be charged,” Shead said. “There was no reason to speed down the street. … Because someone wasn’t paying attention to the road and speeding, my baby is lying in the hospital.“
The driver remained on scene, and this investigation is still ongoing at this time.
Her mom said emotionally that her only regret was letting her walk to the bus stop.
“I would just say this street is a dangerous street,” she said.
Through it all, she remains hopeful her daughter will get better.
“She’s fighting now,” she said. “All I can ask is prayer and to thank the lady that gave her CPR. … It actually helped her a lot.”
Police said they would release more details on the incident when they are available.
Yah-Yah’s mother created a GoFundMe to help with medical expenses. If you feel inclined to donate, you can access the fundraiser at this link.
Check with WAVY.com for updates.