Vigil held for mother killed while walking with son in Philadelphia; hit-and-run driver sought

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A vigil was held on Sunday night for a mother who was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver last weekend in Philadelphia.

It happened on August 8 while 37-year-old Rebecca Malave was walking with her son on the 100 block of West Luzerne Street around 8 p.m.

Malave died days after the accident. Her son, Armani Negron, is still hospitalized at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children. His aunt says his condition, once critical, is slowly improving.

His recovery could be due to the actions of a mysterious motorcyclist who police say pulled over and took Armani to the hospital as paramedics were working on his mom.

"The motorcycle driver who took my nephew to the hospital, we want him to come forward, you can be anonymous, I just want to hug him because he saved my nephew. He took him and he saved him," said Malave's sister Sophia Gonzalez.

SEE ALSO: Mother dies after she, and 3-year-old son, struck in Hunting Park hit-and-run

Rebecca Malave, a mother who was the victim of a hit-and-run earlier this week in the Hunting Park section of Philadelphia has died.

On Sunday, family and friends gathered to remember Malave as the search continues for the driver involved.

"My daughter was an organ donor and she saved three lives today," said Malave's mother, Wanda Rivera during Sunday night's vigil.

The family isn't sure if Malave was making her way to a sidewalk, crossing the street, or trying to avoid an overgrown grassy area along her walk.

"We have no answers. We don't know what, how, who, when. We don't know nothing. All we know, at 8 o'clock here (Sunday), my sister lost her life," said Malave's sister, Lorraine Graulau.

The hit-and-run driver took away Armani's only parent. The boy's father was murdered the day after Thanksgiving in 2020.

"They lost their dad and now their mom," said Rebecca's brother, Homi Malave, through tears. "I know when they grow up they're not going to know anything about them. My sister was the best person ever. The best mom ever."

Philadelphia police have no information on the suspect or vehicle description.

The family is offering a $10,000 reward for anyone with information that leads to an arrest.

Anyone with any information is asked to call police at 215-686-TIPS.