Authorities in Cranford, New Jersey arrested a 17-year-old for the death of his peer Maria Niotis, of Greek descent, and 17-year-old Isabella Salas, whom he struck with his car and left at the scene.
Shock in New Jersey: Greek-American student and friend murdered by 17-year-old stalker
According to reports, neighbors in Cranford, New Jersey, had seen the 17-year-old, with origins from Garwood, outside one of the victims’ homes for the past three months, suggesting he was a stalker. His arrest occurred near the scene of the accident, as according to police, the driver of the black SUV did not stop and fled the scene.
As relatives and friends of the victims report, the teenagers knew the driver, while they add that a restraining order had been issued against the young man, as he allegedly had harassed one of the girls. “She had made complaints and nothing was done. It’s just a tragedy,” said family friend Tammy Carbajal.
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Currently, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, which has taken over the investigation, has not yet officially confirmed these claims, nor has it announced charges against the arrested individual.
The timeline
The accident, according to CBSNews, occurred shortly after 5:30 PM on Monday (29.09) in a quiet area, with police reporting that the black 2021 Jeep Compass that struck the two teenagers, who were traveling on an electric bicycle, did not stop and fled. Authorities arrived at the scene within two minutes of the 911 call, while the two 17-year-old girls were rushed to a local hospital in critical condition, but later succumbed to their injuries.
The Union County Prosecutor’s Office is asking neighbors living in the area to check videos from their home surveillance systems or their car cameras, specifically looking for a black 2021 Jeep Compass with tinted windows before, during, or after the accident.
Flowers and candles at the accident site
Relatives, friends, classmates and strangers stopped and left flowers and candles at the site of the incident. A mother of five children, shocked by the tragic incident, said: “It’s heartbreaking. No one should have to go through something like this. We don’t want to bury our children. Our children should bury us, that’s why we’re here to support them no matter what happens.” Finally, as another parent commented on the matter: “We’re all parents. Cranford is a very close-knit area and when something happens to one child, we all take it personally.”
