Family remembers toddler who was hit by van, killed

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    BALTIMORE (WBAL) — Police are still investigating the death of a toddler who was hit by a van and killed Monday afternoon in East Baltimore.

WBAL-TV 11 News spoke with the child’s family Tuesday about the tragic accident.

Jordyn Rich would have turned two in May. Inside a heart painted on a sidewalk is Jordyn’s name.

“Jordyn was a rambunctious little girl, like to laugh, play, your average kid stuff. Had siblings. She was the baby, so everybody was crazy about her,” Kenya Mackey, Jordyn’s great aunt said.

Jordyn died Monday after being hit by a van on a busy East Preston Street.

“She stepped off the curb in between two cars and it was a van coming. He sat rather high, so he honestly didn’t see her,” Mackey said.

Mackey said the little girl’s mother tried to save her.

“So, about the time she stepped out in the street, her mother grabbed her, the van hit her. Her mother had her in her arms, but when the van hit the mother, the impact…the mother let go and my niece went under the van,” she said.

Mackey said people at the funeral home across the street came to help.

“So, about three or four people came out the funeral home and actually lifted the van off of her, to get her from underneath,” Mackey said.

The van driver remained at the scene.

“The whole time he sat in the van, he never looked left, he never looked right. He was in shock,” Mackey said.

The Baltimore police CRASH team returned to the scene as their investigation continues, also part of the city’s trauma team showed up.

“I pray for this family, not only the family, but also pray for the driver, because he was very distraught when I talked to him,” Apostle Horace Cooper, of the city’s trauma team said.

Jordyn was outside on the sidewalk with her family where they normally have celebrations or just gather to talk.

“These houses have no backyard, none. Once you step out into the backyard, you probably got a square as big as these steps and that’s it. So, we’re always out front,” Mackey said.

Now they gather in grief.

“And even with the neighborhood with the shootings and crime, we still managed to duck all that. But I guess they say it’s only a matter of time before tragedy knocks on your door, so I guess it was our time,” Mackey said.

The trauma team is trying to help the family get counseling for Jordyn’s siblings who are distraught by what happened.

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