Five year old dies in traffic accident

A five year old little boy Akim Gladden lost his life yesterday afternoon when he came out of a city bus on Raccoon Street and was hit by a jeep. Gladden’s mother Christine Hamilton was accompanying her only child at the time of the accident. She told News Five what she remembered about yesterday’s terrifying event.

Christine Hamilton, Mother of Deceased

“When I came out of the bus, he said mommy can I go to uncle. When I come out of the bus he already double in front of the bus. But the bus was waiting for us to come in front to go across the street. By the time I turn round the car already hit him.”

Christine says that when the jeep hit Akim it hit his left side and he fell on his head. The twenty-nine year old driver of the jeep Roy Henkis was stunned by what had happened.

Christine Hamilton

“The guy in the car apparently when he hit my son he drove on the opposite side of the street and then stopped and came out. But then he got jumpy and did not know what to do. I picked up my baby and ran across the street and jumped in his vehicle and told him hurry. I told him to hurry, hurry and I was yelling emergency if you even have to try and overtake vehicles please just get my baby to the hospital. His heartbeat was still strong. He was choking and he had internal bleeding. All I did was press in his chess like that and held him up until I reach the hospital. That’s all I could have done. I tried hard to make my baby live.” (cries)

Unfortunately it was too late and Akim Gladden died a few hours later at 8 p.m. Hyacinth Latchman for News Five.

Roy Henkis has been arrested and charged with manslaughter by negligence, causing death by careless conduct and driving without due care and attention.