A 29-year-old mother is dead after a hit-and-run late Thursday night in New Haven and police are looking for a dark colored minivan that is missing a wheel well.
Police and firefighter-EMTs responded to the area of Kossuth and Ann streets at 11:30 p.m. on Thursday after 911 calls came in reporting that a woman had been struck after stumbling into the path of a vehicle, police said.
An ambulance rushed the victim, Keyonia C. Jenkins, 29, of New Haven, to Yale-New Haven Hospital, where she died.
Police are now trying to determine if she was in the street before she was hit.
Late Friday morning, a single candle marked the spot where Jenkins died.
She was the mother of a 9-year-old boy, her cousin, Keshia Norfleet, said.
As they deal with loss, Jenkins’ family said they cannot make sense of what happened.
U.S. & World
“If it was an accident, why you didn’t stay and call and try to help her? You ran her over,” she said. “Whoever did this, he needs to turn himself in. It’s ridiculous, killing a loving girl. Sweetheart. “
A news release from police said witnesses reported that the driver was behind the wheel of a burgundy minivan that fled to Congress Avenue. It’s not clear where the driver went after that.
Later, police said they are looking for an older model dark colored minivan with tinted windows. There is probably not much damage to the vehicle, but it is missing a wheel well, according to police.
Crash team officers and detectives are investigating the fatal hit-and-run and Jenkins’ family is asking anyone with information to come forward.
“How could anybody do that to a girl like her?//10:51 Its too much. I don’t even know no more,” Norfleet said.
Police said they do not have a description of the driver and they are looking at evidence from the scene.
