Tragedy struck the Tampa, Florida community on Tuesday morning, November 4, 2025, when a 6-year-old girl was killed and her mother and 10-year-old brother were injured after being struck by a pickup truck as they crossed the street on their way to school.
This was confirmed by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) in a press conference. The victim was identified as Rosa Ángela Segundo Rosario.
They crossed with the correct signal
The incident occurred around 7:40 a.m. at the intersection of Mohr Road and Sheldon Road, just at times of high traffic for school hours.
The 45-year-old mother was walking with her two children across a marked crosswalk when a 77-year-old driver in a Dodge pickup truck turned from Mohr Road onto Sheldon Road and struck them.
As HCSO Deputy Chief Thomas St. John explained, the family was crossing correctly, with the pedestrian signal in their favor.
Although the driver had the green light to turn, traffic law requires him to yield to pedestrians at an intersection, which did not occur.
“We cannot emphasize enough the importance of paying attention when driving, especially during rush hour and in areas where families are walking with their children,” St. John said.
The area where the hit-and-run occurred is not an official school zone and does not have a crossing guard, although it does have pedestrian signage.
The authorities clarified that speed was not a determining factor in the incident.
Legal consequences for the driver
The driver, identified as Isain Ledesma, 77, was cited for right-of-way violation resulting in death, an offense that in Florida carries a $1,000 fine and a six-month license suspension.
He was also transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital for medical evaluation, although no serious injuries were reported.
The mother and 10-year-old boy were admitted to the same hospital with major physical injuries, including fractures.
Rosa Ángela Segundo Rosario, 6 years old, was declared dead shortly after the impact.
Authorities and witnesses agree that the moment was devastating and that the scene was quickly attended to by emergency crews.
“This is a terrible tragedy that this family will carry with them forever. Our hearts go out to them,” St. John said during his statement to the media.
Ask for help on GoFundMe
Local authorities used the occasion to make a strong appeal to all drivers in Florida.
The call is to avoid distractions such as cell phone use, respect traffic signals and always yield to pedestrians, especially near residential and school zones, even if they are not formally designated as school crossings.
The case remains under active investigation by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, as the community expresses regret and demands more pedestrian safety measures in heavily traveled areas.
In the meantime, two GoFundMe pages have been opened to help the family with the funeral expenses of Rosa Angela Segundo Rosario, as well as the hospital expenses of her mother and brother.
“We are Faith Outreach Academy, the school Rose attended. We are raising funds to help parents with medical and other expenses stemming from the tragic car accident that resulted in Rose’s untimely death and injuries to her mother and brother,” reads the plea on the first of the GoFundMe.
“We are asking for your help to support this family at this very difficult time, to help with funeral expenses, medical expenses and the time off they will need to grieve and recover,” the second of the GoFundMe reads.
Click on the links below to help:
Help Rose’s family in this difficult time.
Helping Rose’s family in their time of grief
Filed under: Rosa Ángela Segundo Rosario
