Family mourns grandmother, 3 grandchildren killed in car crash

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. (WFTV) - A Florida woman is calling for change after troopers say a teenage driver without a learner’s permit caused a car crash that killed her mother and three children.

Dozens rallied around Sabrina Hernandez on Monday, the day after her mother and three children were killed in a car crash at an intersection in Osceola County. Debris from the collision remained at the scene where they gathered.

“I got to wake up and see my children’s empty rooms,” Hernandez said.

The Florida Highway Patrol says a 15-year-old driver was speeding around 7 p.m. Sunday and ran a stop sign, crashing into Hernandez’s mother’s car. The grandmother, who was driving, and her three grandchildren, ages 11, 9 and 1, were killed.

“I started getting this gut feeling like something was wrong. I got into my car, and I literally followed the helicopter here,” Hernandez said.

Hernandez says her father was also in the car at the time, but he survived. The driver and three other teenage passengers were all hurt in the crash.

The mourning mother had a message for the 15-year-old driver:

“I forgive you, and I have love for you. I know that it was a mistake. I’m 100% sure this person didn’t wake up and say, ‘I’m going to kill an entire family.’ But, you know what – when we make mistakes, we have to be accountable for it,” she said.

Neighbors who showed up in support, like Samantha Rodriguez, pointed to what they call major problems at the intersection where the crash took place.

“We’re literally always hearing car accidents. There’s always cars racing down here, very dangerous crosswalk. Nobody even crosses the street. Kids cannot come out here and play because of the same reason,” Rodriguez said.

As Hernandez mourns her family, she’s also calling for change and reminding residents that seconds can save lives.

“My babies could have been here today. My mom could have been here today. What the heck are you in such a rush for?” she said.

Troopers say there is a pending criminal investigation into the crash, which could lead to not only the 15-year-old driver facing charges but their parents as well.

WFTV reported Tuesday that the teen driver did not have a learner’s permit. Troopers are investigating how they were able to get ahold of the vehicle involved in the crash in the first place.

Copyright 2023 WFTV via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. Gray News contributed to this report.