'We want justice': Families seek answers in hit-and-run deaths

INDIANAPOLIS — "He was just a happy baby. A happy baby," Latina Mathews said.

A memorial with a teddy bear saying love you, a basketball and a cross sits where 3-year-old Jyrie Mathews was killed in a hit and run, in July.

"He was my jolly nephew. I loved his smile. Every time I look at his picture it's just so sad, just really sad," Mathews said.

Jyrie's family says he was a basketball star in the making.

His mother told WRTV he was playing with a ball before a driver hit him and drove off.

It was captured on camera and the driver, according to metro police is now cooperating in the investigation.

"We haven't seen a video yet," Mathews said. "We would like to see the video of what took place on that day. We still haven't gotten any answers either. We just want to know what is taking so long."

IMPD nor the Marion County Prosecutor's office have said anything else about the case.

"And that's the thing. It's kind of hard to wake up every morning knowing that my nephew doesn't have justice. He's resting in his grave, but at the end of the day he doesn't have a voice anymore so whoever hit him, we just want you to come forward and take accountability for it," Mathews said.

Dawn Cordero is also hoping for closure.

"As a mother, I am begging as a mom with excruciating pain, anybody, please, please, if the person who hit my son is listening please just reach out so I can have some closure," Cordero said.

Her only son, Jonathan Fahey was killed as he was walking along North Shadeland Avenue in July.

This week, investigators released a picture of a black Dodge Nitro that is believed to be connected.

"He was an amazing human being that definitely deserved to live longer than 34 years," Cordero said. "He deserved to have a family. I deserved to have grandkids. He deserved more than being killed by a hit-and-run driver."

Metro police say there have been more than 5,000 hit-and-runs this year. That includes some incidents that did not involve pedestrians.

As of September 23, the city is one deadly hit-and-run away from breaking the number of incidents for all of last year.

"When you hit someone anyone and you are out driving and you know you hit someone why would you keep going? If it was your family wouldn't you want to stop, render aid call 911 to get help not just drive off? You make it worse when you hit the person and keep going when you should turn yourself in," Mathews said. "Call 911, do something don't just leave them dying! It's been a lot of hit-and-runs lately. It's just not right. It's not right and I think people should be held accountable."

Mathews and Cordero beg the city to beef up street lights and cameras and for the court system to bring them justice.

"I am just trying to move forward a day at a time and the pain is just unbearable. That was my only son. I just feel until there is some type of closure, there is some type of accountability for the hit and run that happened that took his life, I am not going to be able to begin to try to heal," Cordero said. "I am just living it one day at a time and I miss my son a lot. It's very painful.

If you have any information about this case call Crime Stoppers at (317) 262-8477.

Cordero says there is a reward for her son.

You can remain anonymous.