Vigil for girl killed in hit-and-run, North side neighbors want change

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The family of Maliyah Davis, 6, who was killed Wednesday in a fatal hit and run hosted a vigil Saturday night. 

Davis' family and friends gathered together on Vassar and O'Brien, where the crash occurred and a new memorial lays. 

"I'm feeling upset because someone lost their life," Keyaire Carter, Davis' aunt. 

Davis and other members of the family asking for Reka Phillips, 26, to turn herself in. South Bend Police are still looking for Phillips who they say will be criminally charged for leaving the scene of the crash. 

"She needs to come forward so she can be dealt with for her actions that she's done," Rev. Dennis Patton said.

At a press conference held last week, investigators said no one was at fault. Phillips had the right of way and Davis' grandmother stopped at the stop sign.

"Who's at fault," said Taddy Harradon, Northside resident, who was one of the many people who went to help the victims and call 911. "Who cares who's at fault a six year old passed away."

Harradon said this crash could've been prevented.

"If she wouldn't have been on her cell phone that accident would've been prevented she could've acted," Harradon said.

Police did not say Phillips was texting and driving. But neighbors on the north side of South Bend said many traffic accidents happen because of distracted driving and what they call confusing traffic signals.

"This street, the next street, that corner," said Michael Bell II, Northside resident. "It's only two stops signs. The cross streets don't stop if somebody missed the stop sign going through the main street it's an accident."



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