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Witnesses sought in hit-and-run that killed toddler
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CommentIt’s been a little over a month since an angel-faced 2-year-old girl was killed by a hit-and-run driver on Old Sonoma Road. Today the Napa Police Department is reaching out to Napa’s Hispanic community for help in solving the case.
Police Detective Don Winegar is in charge of the investigation and said he specifically wants to talk with a witness, a Latina, who told a Juvenile Hall employee that she saw Mattea Reynolds wandering in the street in the early morning hours of Saturday, May 31.
Police Detective Don Winegar is in charge of the investigation and said he specifically wants to talk with a witness, a Latina, who told a Juvenile Hall employee that she saw Mattea Reynolds wandering in the street in the early morning hours of Saturday, May 31.
“We only have a couple of witnesses to this, her information is extremely important,” he said. “I just want to know what she saw.”
On May 31, around 5:30 a.m., Mattea unlocked and opened the door of the Old Sonoma Road apartment where she lived with her family and wandered into the street; she was killed shortly after by a hit-and-run driver. It was the Juvenile Hall worker who found Mattea unconscious near the curb on Old Sonoma Road.
On May 31, around 5:30 a.m., Mattea unlocked and opened the door of the Old Sonoma Road apartment where she lived with her family and wandered into the street; she was killed shortly after by a hit-and-run driver. It was the Juvenile Hall worker who found Mattea unconscious near the curb on Old Sonoma Road.
Winegar said the witness approached the worker and said “niña,” Spanish for girl, and made a circle motion in the air with her hand. The juvenile hall worker told police that she thought the woman was attempting to say that there was a girl running around, Winegar said.
The woman left the area shortly after alerting the worker. Winegar said he believes that the woman may be able to provide vital information.
The woman left the area shortly after alerting the worker. Winegar said he believes that the woman may be able to provide vital information.
“Any type of lead we get here is super-critical,” he said.
Police investigated several leads after the accident — including a tip that a 1980s four-door sedan with chrome side trim was seen in the area around the time that Mattea was wandering in the street — but have yet to get solid information.
Winegar said that the female witness may have reasons why she hasn’t come forward to talk with the police — including immigration status — but that he isn’t interested in anything except what she saw on that morning and he does not consider her a suspect.
“She can remain anonymous with me,” he said. “I know that people are afraid to get involved ... I just want the information. I’m not interested in any other issues except for what she knows.”
The woman is described as a heavy-set Hispanic female, 5-foot-5, in her mid to late 30s. On the morning of the accident, her hair was pulled back in a bun or a clip. She wore dark dress slacks, a dark shirt (possibly a button-up shirt), a windbreaker and black shoes — perhaps a workplace uniform.
“This person isn’t in any trouble,” Winegar said. “To me, she is a hero.”
Winegar asks the witness or anyone who knows who she is to contact him at 258-7879 or e-mail dwinegar@cityofnapa.org. Messages can be left in Spanish or English.
Police investigated several leads after the accident — including a tip that a 1980s four-door sedan with chrome side trim was seen in the area around the time that Mattea was wandering in the street — but have yet to get solid information.
Winegar said that the female witness may have reasons why she hasn’t come forward to talk with the police — including immigration status — but that he isn’t interested in anything except what she saw on that morning and he does not consider her a suspect.
“She can remain anonymous with me,” he said. “I know that people are afraid to get involved ... I just want the information. I’m not interested in any other issues except for what she knows.”
The woman is described as a heavy-set Hispanic female, 5-foot-5, in her mid to late 30s. On the morning of the accident, her hair was pulled back in a bun or a clip. She wore dark dress slacks, a dark shirt (possibly a button-up shirt), a windbreaker and black shoes — perhaps a workplace uniform.
“This person isn’t in any trouble,” Winegar said. “To me, she is a hero.”
Winegar asks the witness or anyone who knows who she is to contact him at 258-7879 or e-mail dwinegar@cityofnapa.org. Messages can be left in Spanish or English.
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Napagemini wrote on Jul 15, 2008 12:57 AM:
One is mounted in front of Juvenile Hall.
and another down the street in front of the Storage Unit complex, the third is located at Human Services. "
funnyme wrote on Jul 15, 2008 1:26 AM:
A hero? For what? Because she saw a 2 year old walking on the street by herself and didn't go and pick her up and kept her safe?
Now this woman knows exactly what she should have done but didn't.
Oh well, maybe next time -I'm being very sarcastic here! "
napan79 wrote on Jul 15, 2008 6:01 AM:
Dwayne wrote on Jul 15, 2008 8:22 AM:
" “This person isn’t in any trouble,” Winegar said. “To me, she is a hero.”
That comment is a setup to get her to come forward. Every one of us has a civil responsibility to keep a child safe in a situation like that, and she didn't. If this woman does come forward, she's opening her self up to a huge lawsuit for negligence, at least, perhaps criminal. I do believe there are mandatory good Samaritan laws on the books. "
napachica wrote on Jul 15, 2008 8:26 AM:
spectator wrote on Jul 15, 2008 8:48 AM:
mari wrote on Jul 15, 2008 8:53 AM:
How do you know that she saw the 2 yr old WALKING? You are assuming this child was still alive when in reality we dont know what condition this child was in already. "
mypoint wrote on Jul 15, 2008 9:03 AM:
707jng wrote on Jul 15, 2008 9:49 AM:
Great Story Carlos! :)~ "
49er wrote on Jul 15, 2008 9:54 AM:
upvalley wrote on Jul 15, 2008 9:57 AM:
diehard4ever wrote on Jul 15, 2008 10:02 AM:
Either way. A decent human being would not have walked away from a "hurt" or "dead" child laying on the middle of the street...or walking by herself.
Reality check anyone? "
mytoosense wrote on Jul 15, 2008 10:05 AM:
mamyt wrote on Jul 15, 2008 10:06 AM:
what if this woman was a registered sex offender and by law she was not to approach a child? What if she is mentally disabled and it didn't occur to her to pick up the girl. She did what she thought of to help out, she is not the reason this tragedy happened. "
melimop wrote on Jul 15, 2008 10:23 AM:
`Monster eightball wrote on Jul 15, 2008 10:33 AM:
elb wrote on Jul 15, 2008 10:40 AM:
If the child had already been struck, laying there injured (or dead) then I would think her demeanor would have been frantic, distraught, even hysterical in nature.
I don't know about anyone else, but if I saw a dead child in the street, I would be pretty torn up about it, enough so that I would have had to stick around to get some answers of my own, not just disappear into the early morning, Napa Valley mist as if nothing ever happened.
That's kinda why I'm inclined to think the child wasn't already struck when the woman reported her "out and about". "
707jng wrote on Jul 15, 2008 12:42 PM:
Read the article.... she unlocked the front door at 5AM and took herself for a walk. Everyone was asleep and the mother was on her way to work! The grandmother was sleeping and no one heard her get out of the house. I'm sorry but accidents happen and according to all the parents I'e talked to this is possible for a 2 yr old to do. SO please don't speak like this family was neglectful to this child. That is so far from the truth! They are in so much pain right now and it's not going to go away any time soon! "
a-ve wrote on Jul 15, 2008 1:11 PM:
bloodagar wrote on Jul 15, 2008 1:36 PM:
My heart just breaks for the family of this little girl...I hope they are somehow finding comfort and truly hope they get closure of any sort, soon.
I just hope someone comes forward with some information that will help in this case. This was a horrible accident. "
mamyt wrote on Jul 15, 2008 1:41 PM:
Baraki wrote on Jul 15, 2008 3:12 PM:
napaao wrote on Jul 15, 2008 4:41 PM:
Napanee wrote on Jul 15, 2008 4:51 PM:
spectator wrote on Jul 15, 2008 6:40 PM:
ac wrote on Jul 15, 2008 10:01 PM:
Stop blaming...stop assuming...
If you have any information regarding this case...speak up! "
local_bree wrote on Jul 15, 2008 10:59 PM:
John Richards wrote on Jul 16, 2008 1:45 PM:
The only way is for parents to be more vigilant, use child-proof door locks, etc. "
knick-knack-at-thedam wrote on Jul 16, 2008 1:49 PM:
local_bree wrote on Jul 16, 2008 2:57 PM:
Yes, as parents, we do need to be more vigilant- but as it is said, Hindsight is only 20/20. Mattea was a smart kid. Even at her age, childproof locks would have eventually been opened by her. She was the kind of girl that, if she wanted something, nothing got in her way. She wanted her parents, and since she was with grandma and not them, she went looking for them.
But what about us, as a community? Are we not at fault too? We see a child, of that age, or any other young age, walking around ALONE at that time of day, or any time, for that matter, and we don't take action. It is such a shame that we are too afraid of getting "in trouble" for bringing another parents child to safety. It is a shame we are too concerned with our own reputations to make sure the child is safe. If it were me, whether I knew her or not, I would have picked her up and walked to Juvenile Hall with her. Sure there might be some explaining to do. But, I would be happy to do it, if it means that the child is safe.
I know this is a situation of shoulda, woulda, coulda, but lets move on from that and focus on what can be done as a community to help find this witness and the driver. It may take as much as calling the police and giving them more ideas. "
magafez wrote on Jul 16, 2008 10:48 PM:
mamyt wrote on Jul 16, 2008 11:59 PM:
Family bed. This is also helpful in fires or if there is an intruder in the house.
Baby monitor. Baby monitors become more and more valuable the older a child gets.
Puzzle type locks made especially for this that can be placed at the top of the door.
Get a family dog who sleeps in a child's room.
An alarm on the door that sounds when it is opened.
In cases where this is an ongoing problem a lock turned around backwards on a child's door can effectively keep them in their room if they wake or sleep walk.
I'm sure other people have other suggestions. "