COLUMBUS, Ohio — Beatriz Rodriguez hugged the photo of her 4-year-old daughter Catherine tight.
"She was my only...my only daughter,” she said. 10TV spoke with her for the first time since her daughter was hit and killed on Halloween. One of Catherine’s daycare teachers sat beside Beatriz to help translate.
“Losing the life of such a beautiful little girl like I had...it's very difficult to explain everything that's happened,” she said.
She told 10TV about the day that she will never be able to wipe from her memory.
On Halloween, Beatriz, Catherine, one of her friends and a little boy were out trick-or-treating.
They approached the crosswalk at Westerville Road and Valley Park Avenue which has flashing lights then began to walk.
At the same time, Columbus police said 50-year-old Lazzaro Becerra was in a Ford F-150 driving when he hit Catherine and the woman with the truck.
In December, City Attorney Zach Klein’s Office charged Becerra with vehicular manslaughter and vehicular homicide in connection with the death of Catherine, yet they haven’t arrested him.
Beatriz said they want to know why Becerra hasn’t been arrested. 10TV checked in with Columbus police and was told there were no updates.
"It's not right that I don't have her with me,” she said.
She said she wants people to see her pain in hopes that it never happens to anyone else.
10TV also spoke with the Assistant Director of the Department of Public Service Randy Borntrager. He said right now, the department is conducting a speed study with Franklin County to gather data to potentially allow us to make changes to the roadway speed.
He told 10TV, with the next round of resurfacing, the department will also seek to reduce speeds by narrowing the street with street markings to visually restrict vehicles.