‘She was just a baby’: Family mourns 4-year-old killed in Broward crash, pray for 2 still critical

DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. — A South Florida family is devastated following a tragic weekend car crash in Deerfield Beach.

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Killed in the crash was 4-year-old Christine Celine Varella Mejia, and two other children, 8-year-old Abraham Medrano Mejia and 7-year-old Yamilah Claudio, are now fighting for their lives at Broward Health Medical Center.

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“She was just a baby, she didn’t deserve this,” said Gabriella Derras, Meija’s aunt. “I still remember the last time I talked with her. She wanted me to take her to Disney, and I promise her and I didn’t.”

Christine Mejia, her parents, an adult cousin and two underage cousins were heading to get pizza Saturday night.

Behind the wheel was Christine Mejia’s mother, who was driving them along the 4100 block of west Hillsboro Boulevard in Deerfield Beach and as she was about to make a U-turn to head westbound when traffic investigators said their car was hit by a motorcycle.

The motorcyclist has been identified as 18-year-old Maxwell Patel, who died at the scene.

The impact caused the Nissan to flip over and the car was left mangled. The adults were all taken to the hospital and two of the surviving children are in critical condition.

Abraham Mejia’s sister, Katherine Medrano, said her little brother is in a medically induced coma.

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“He suffered multiple fractures around his whole body, he had severe brain trauma, he had to have brain surgery,” she said.

Derras said Yamilah Claudio also suffered multiple injuries.

“She had really bad head trauma,” she said. “At the moment just praying and hoping she makes it and gets better, she’s also in a medically induced coma.”

The family said they are leaning on to their faith and trying to stay strong during this very difficult time.

“This is every parent’s worst possible nightmare, losing your child, having your child in a comatose state, needing to have brain surgery, having your cousin in another room next to yours and not knowing what is going on with them in their little bodies,” said Medrano. “They are strong children and they are going to make it, I’m praying everyday.”

The Broward Sheriff’s Office said they are investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash.

Family members have created a GoFundMe page to help with funeral expenses for Christine Mejia, and a separate GoFundMe page to assist with hospital expenses for the children who are still recovering.

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