A two-year-old girl was killed after a three-year-old child got behind the wheel and struck her outside of a gas station in California.
Ailahni Sanchez Martinez tragically died around 3.45pm on Saturday after a Dodge pickup truck hit her while she sat and ate at a table near her parent’s taco stand located in the 76 Gas Station on the 300 block of West Street in Woodland.
Police said that the truck’s owner parked his car and left it running and in drive at a gas pump while he ran into the store. His three-year-old child was left in the back of the truck in a car seat.
Sergeant Richard Towle said that while the father was inside, the toddler managed to get out of the car seat and moved behind the wheel as the car rolled and hit Ailahni.
When investigators got to the scene, they saw the toddler in the driver’s seat and the car still in drive. The toddler’s parent has not been publicly identified or faced charges.
Two-year-old Ailahni Sanchez Martinez tragically died around 3.45pm on Saturday after a Dodge pickup truck hit her while she sat and ate at a table near her parent’s taco stand
The truck hit Ailahni after the three-year-old’s father left it in drive and running at a gas pump and ran into the store. (pictured: the 76 Gas Station with the family’s taco stand in the far back with tents and tables)
Sandro Sanchez, Ailahni’s father told CBS News that as the truck came towards his daughter, he ran, opened the car door and slammed on the brake, ‘but it was too late already’
Sandro Sanchez, Ailahni’s father told CBS News that as the truck came towards his daughter, he ran, opened the car door and slammed on the brake, ‘but it was too late already.’
Ailahni’s mother Rosa Martinez also witnessed the heartbreaking incident and tried to run and save her little girl.
‘She was always happy. She loved to dance and brought joy to the family,’ Martinez told KCRA3.
The two-year-old’s parents said that their daughter was just a month away from her third birthday.
Sanchez said that what happened to his daughter ‘is not right’ and that he won’t stop fighting until justice is served.
‘I want justice for my little girl because they let the guy just go free,’ he said.
‘I lost my daughter because of someone else.’
Police said that the incident is being investigated and that everyone involved is cooperating.
Towle told DailyMail.com that the ‘parent of the 3-year-old was identified during the investigation,’ but cannot be released ‘at this time based on the Public Records Act related to traffic collision reports.’
The two-year-old’s parents said that their daughter was just a month away from her third birthday
Sergeant Richard Towle told DailyMail.com that the names of the three-year-old’s parents cannot be released ‘at this time based on the Public Records Act related to traffic collision reports’
Ailahni’s mother Rosa Martinez (being hugged) also witnessed the heartbreaking incident and tried to run and save her little girl
Criminal negligence charges are possible. No arrests have been made and it is being investigated as a traffic collision.
A memorial was set up in honor of Ailahni, as well as a carwash to help raise money for the family that are regulars there.
CBS News reported that one of the car wash’s new employees was also related to the little girl.
Raven Niz, the manager of Five Star Carwash said: ‘Any loss is hard, but to lose a child just unexpectedly is just the worst.’
A GoFundMe page has also been created by Ailanhi’s aunt Mireya Sanabria.
‘Ailahni was a beautiful such talented 2 almost 3 year old our little princess was taken to soon from us please anything helps we will appreciate it so much,’ Sanabria said.
As of Tuesday afternoon, more than $18,000 was raised out of the $25,000 goal.
‘It’s not going to fix my heart from that money- my daughter’s gone,’ Sanchez said as he sat in the gas station parking lot with his family.
‘I’d rather have my daughter and no money.’