PCAO on hit-and-run crash that critically injured toddler: ‘We don’t have evidence to pursue criminal charges’

TUCSON (KVOA) - The suspected operator progressive successful a hit-and-run clang that critically injured a 3-year-old successful April will locomotion escaped aft Pima County Attorney's Office announced Friday that determination is not capable grounds successful the lawsuit to prosecute transgression charges.

At astir 6:30 p.m. connected April 16, then-2-year-old Catalina Rodriguez was transported to the infirmary with superior injuries aft her stroller was struck by a conveyance erstwhile she, a household subordinate and her mother, who was six months large astatine the time, were crossing West Irvington Road astatine South Ninth Avenue.

Officials accidental the conveyance progressive fled the scene.

While Catalina's parent sustained insignificant injuries successful transportation to the hit-and-run crash, the toddler was placed successful critical condition, requiring country that removed a piece of skull from her brain.

In an update shared to News 4 Tucson's Shelle Jackson connected Wednesday, the household said the country required 25 percent of her encephalon to beryllium removed. The household said doctors told them that they bash not expect her to spot adulthood.

According to constabulary documents, PCAO shared that the fishy conveyance was located a week aft the collision.

Due to determination a deficiency of grounds that indicates that the proprietor of the conveyance was the operator progressive successful the hit-and-run, PCAO informed the household that charges person been dropped successful the case.

"Every time successful this office, we enactment with heartbroken families. The household of the toddler who was precise earnestly wounded backmost successful April portion crossing Irvington Road with household has been connected our caput each day. There are tragedies that hap that can’t easy beryllium remedied by our office. And determination are times wherever we don’t person grounds to prosecute transgression charges. This is 1 of those times," PCAO said successful a connection shared Friday. "We consciousness for each who person been impacted, nonstop our condolences to the family, and commune for healing."

The household held a rally for Catalina successful Downtown Tucson Friday morning. During the rally, the household called for Pima County Attorney's Office to alteration their caput astir pursuing transgression charges.

"As of close now, we're conscionable trying to get to the territory lawyer and fig retired what's going to alteration due to the fact that this isn't going to change," Lucerito Meza, Catalina's relative said. "She's similar this for the remainder of her beingness and determination is nary warrant of her surviving until her adulthood."

Meza said she wants the idiosyncratic liable to measurement up and travel forward.

"How bash you slumber astatine night, really? Because I cognize I wouldn't beryllium capable to," she said. "That would beryllium successful my caput each time for the remainder of my beingness until I get that disconnected my chest."