Fort Worth boy killed by hit-and-run driver had stepped into street while playing tag
As the rain fell Wednesday morning, 23-year-old Cristian Rivas stood in front of his Fort Worth home and tightly gripped a tissue that he used to wipe away tears.
Cries echoed from inside of his home as his family mourned the tragic death of 7-year-old Nelson Morales, Rivas’ younger brother.
“When he was outside, he would be playing soccer, and if he was inside he would be playing on his Xbox, playing Fortnite,” Rivas said Wednesday morning. “I wish he had been playing Fortnite last night and this wouldn’t have happened.”
Nelson was killed Tuesday night by a hit-and-run driver while the Oaklawn Elementary student was playing tag with his cousins.
Nelson had run to the end of his block and stepped out onto Wichita Street.
“I don’t think they (the driver) saw the kids. It was dark,” said neighbor Jasmen Craddock, who was driving by when the accident happened. “I don’t know what happened. I just heard it and it was bad.”
Craddock pulled over.
“It was just little kids, and they looked like they were in shock,” Craddock said. “They didn’t know what to do. I asked what happened, and they said a kid got run over.”
Craddock’s friend hopped out of the vehicle, crying. She ran down to Nelson’s family to alert them about what had happened.
Nelson was dragged several feet by the hit-and-run driver.
“The car wasn’t really going fast,” Craddock said. “But they could have stopped.”
Patrol officers responded to the automobile-pedestrian accident shortly before 10:30 p.m. Tuesday in the 3600 block of Wichita Street, Fort Worth police said.
The unknown driver fled the scene of the accident on Wichita Street as residents were having a family event on nearby Comanche Street, police said.
Nelson and his cousins were playing tag, and they were just half a block away from home.
“He runs so fast,” Rivas said.
Nelson was in the crosswalk when he was hit, police said.
Police were searching on Wednesday for a silver or gray Toyota SUV.
Nelson died at 10:54 p.m. Tuesday at Cook Children’s Medical Center, according to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office website on Wednesday.
Nelson was a student at Oaklawn Elementary School, according to Fort Worth Independent School District officials.
Born and raised in Fort Worth, Nelson was a “sweet young boy,” who was “full of energy.” according to his brother.
“Everybody liked him,” Rivas said.
Nelson had recently just joined his first soccer team and was looking forward to playing.
“He would always come back from school and start kicking the ball around,” his brother said. “He would always be outside playing with the kids.”
Rivas noted that his family wouldn’t let Nelson out to play too often because drivers were not cautious.
“I understand it was an accident,” he said. “But they could have least stopped and helped.”
Anyone with information should call Fort Worth police at 817-392-4869.
This story was originally published March 4, 2020 at 5:52 AM with the headline "Fort Worth boy killed by hit-and-run driver had stepped into street while playing tag."
