Neighbors Feared Accident Near School

October 03, 2008

By Megan Strader, (WICHITA, Kan.)

Even with night casting a shadow across the memorial sittig outside Gardiner Elementary, it can't shade how upset people are over what happened only 24 hours earlier.

One visitor told us, "It makes me mad because it's preventable...it didn't even have to happen like that."

But it did. And it has people living in the area wondering how safe the road really is. "People just speed by, they don't respect the speed zones and we do need something to start getting done," said Juana Davile.

Crystal Rickerson adds, "I walk this area with my son and its just hazerdous." On Wednesday afternoon people say their fears became reality. Claudia Mijeres and her four year old daughter Gisele were run down while trying to get to afternoon preschool.

"There's kids everywhere they need parking places for the parents to park so they're not getting out on the street. It was bound to happen."

Rickerson say she's gone to the city and complained that something needs to be done in the area to stop people from speeding through the narrow road. She added a statue to the growing memorial for the mother and daughter, knowing it could have happened to anyone.

"It could have been me and my son. It could have been us, like I said, we walk this area. It could have been us."

And with the memorial sitting just feet from the school, every student will be reminded of an accident that shouldn't have happened. And Crystal hopes it will also be a reminder for drivers, and serve as the wake-up call she says is more important than ever.

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