WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — West Palm Beach police now say a 3-year-old girl who was struck in a hit-and-run crash earlier this week is not dead, and the agency initially provided misinformation about her condition.
According to investigators, a Honda Odyssey driven by a Hispanic woman backed over a pregnant mother, Catarina Reymundo Marcos, 34, and her daughter Jessica Guzman, 3, around 3 p.m. Tuesday in the 3800 block of Pinewood Avenue.
At 11:41 a.m. on Thursday, police initially informed WPTV that the Guzman had passed away.
However, at 3:17 p.m., Sgt. David Lefont with the West Palm Beach Police Department sent this statement to WPTV:
"The three-year-old is not deceased and remains in critical condition. Our detective received a call earlier this morning from Victim Services, which was incorrect. One of our officers went to the hospital to check on the status of the three year old confirming she is alive.
Apparently a 7-year-old sibling told Victim Services the three-year-old passed away, and that incorrect information was passed along to our detective.
I apologize for the misinformation."
Following Tuesday's crash, police said the driver took off and the vehicle was located about three hours later.
As of Thursday, the driver has not been caught and police are still searching for a person of interest in the case, Priscila Nicolas Antonio, 39.
Police said Nicolas Antonio is the registered owner of the vehicle and may have been the driver.
The victims were taken to St. Mary's Medical Center, where Marcos was pronounced dead.
Police said Guzman is in critical condition with a traumatic brain injury. Marcos' fetus survived following an emergency Caesarean section, but remains in critical and life-threatening condition, according to police.
If you have any information that can help investigators, call the West Palm Beach Police Department at 561-822-1900.
