Police: No charges expected after children, teen hit by car in Burlington County

SOUTHAMPTON, N.J. (WPVI) -- Police say no charges are expected to be filed after three children and a young adult were struck by a car in Burlington County on Tuesday night, leaving one of the children dead.

According to investigators, the young people were walking in the road and the driver of the BMW was travelling at or below the posted speed limit of 45 mph.

The victims were not wearing light clothing and did not have a flashlight, police said. They were using cell phone lights, police said, but the driver apparently could not see them.

The driver did stop at the scene and helped render aid, along with others. Among those trying to help were Cheryl and Paul O'Neil.

Cheryl says she may have been with the youngest child in his final moments.

"I checked for a pulse and I couldn't find any. It seems right after that his eyes kind of rolled," she recalled, then imitated a gasp and said "That was it."

The child who was killed is identified as 2-year-old Jyonshiel Martinez, who would have turned three in October.

The other three victims were critically injured. They are identified as 6-year-old Kahariel Martinez, 8-year-old John Giles and 18-year-old Jairisa Galindo.

Another child was with the group but escaped unharmed.

All five live in Southampton Township and are related.

It happened at 8:20 p.m. Tuesday in the 100 block of Buddtown Road in Southampton Township. Police say the victims were walking home from a park - and were walking in the road - when they were hit.

Police believe the driving of the striking car was also heading home from the park.

The smallest children were being pulled in a Radio Flyer wagon.

Cheryl and Paul O'Neil heard the crash, and screaming, and came running from their home.

"We were out back and we heard a loud boom," Cheryl said. "We heard people just screaming at the top of their lungs. So we came running out and we saw them lying on the grass and in the road."

"Besides the two kids lying on the side of the street, there was a girl lying in the middle of the street. The neighbor across the street was doing chest compressions on her," Paul O'Neil said.

The O'Neils did the best they could to help the young children.

"They were so young," said Cheryl O'Neil. "They had their whole lives ahead of them. They were so little. This tiny little red wagon with these tiny little kids. It was very hard to see."

A GoFundMe account has been set up to help the family. Visit this page at GoFundMe.com to learn more.