KANSAS CITY, Kan. — A family is searching for answers after a Kansas City, Kan., woman suffered serious injuries in a Saturday night hit-and-run crash.
Norma Tarin left the Día de los Muertos celebration parade about 7 p.m. on Central Avenue to walk back to her daughter’s car.
The vehicle struck Tarin near South Bethany Street and Lowell Avenue.
Her niece, Denisse Vazquez, was one of many family members at the parade.
Her cousin, Vanessa, is Tarin’s daughter and the first person Tarin called after the crash.
“She just called my cousin and started telling her that she got hit,” Vazquez said. “Other than that, we really don’t know what happened.”
Tarin’s daughter filled in the rest of the family about what happened.
“She just said that she got hit, then she kinda was able to drag herself out of the street, and had the strength to get up and walk to the car and wait for my cousin to get there,” Vazquez said.
Her family filed a police report Saturday night.
Tarin was being treated at a hospital Sunday.
“She’s in a lot of pain, she has broken ribs, three fractures on her spine,” Vazquez said. “She has a big bump on her head. Her whole face is swollen, she can barely talk.”
Vazquez and her family spent Sunday morning visiting people in the neighborhood to find out if they had any surveillance footage or information about the crash.
“We’re just trying to find the person who hit her,” Vazquez said. “If people saw, why not help her? Or, I don’t know if somebody tried to help her or thought if she got up that nothing was wrong.”
It’s the lack of compassion that’s difficult for Denisse to accept.
“I don’t know how someone could hit a person and not check to see if they were okay,” Vazquez said.
She said he aunt is in her 50s and already juggling a lot.
"Aside from this going on, she’s already been battling breast cancer," Vazquez said.
But Vazquez wants people to know there’s a way they can help.
“If anybody saw anything, to reach out and to let us know,” she said.
Tarin's daughter, Vanessa, asks anyone with pictures, videos or information from Saturday to contact her via Facebook at Vanessa Tarin or at vanessa.tarin2008@gmail.com.
People can contact the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department with tips or information at 913-596-3000.
