Violent crash kills 2 mothers, injures teen, out walking to get take-out food in Mantua
WEST PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Two mothers are dead and a teenager is left injured after a car jumped the curb and struck them while they were out walking to get take-out food in West Philadelphia Wednesday night, police said.
It happened around 9:30 p.m. on the 600 block of North 35th Street in the city's Mantua section.
Officials said the impact of the crash was so severe it sent one of the victims flying across the street into the front door of a nearby vacant property. Her body landed in the living room.
The 30-year-old woman and mother of two, identified as Nicole Fundenberg by family members, was then pronounced dead at Presbyterian Hospital.
"You heard the smash, the crash, the boom," said Queen Ali, who lives on the block.
A 58-year-old woman was found lying on 35th street. She was transported to the hospital where she was pronounced dead.
She has been identified as Zenobia Murray, a mother of six.
"I pray for her family and I pray for the family across the street. I pray for the young lady who was driving the car. Everybody deserves prayer and everybody deserves to be cared about," Ali said.
Officials said a 14-year-old girl suffered leg injuries and is currently in stable condition at Presbyterian Hospital.
A neighbor who lives nearby said the two women who lost their lives were nice people.
"You could never get nothing bad from them. Everything was always great from them. That's why this was really hard to hear it and hear about it," said Mark Brown.
Fundenberg's family says they want justice.
"She was the sweetest child. Everybody knows and loves her around here. I don't understand why you gotta speed, you gotta stop speeding," said her father, Derrick Fundenberg.
Police said the 19-year-old female driver stopped at the scene. The car she was driving was lodged into a home on the street.
According to investigators, she is being tested to see if she was driving under the influence.
Investigators are reviewing surveillance footage from a nearby police crime camera that captured the incident.
