'My daughter deserves justice': Mother speaks after deadly hit-and-run in Southwest Philly
Mother speaks after deadly hit-and-run in Southwest Philly
The mother of Taliya Nesmith, who was killed in a hit-and-run in Southwest Philadelphia, is speaking out and pleading for help to find the driver responsible.
PHILADELPHIA - Police are searching for the driver of a black Dodge Charger after a deadly hit-and-run killed 29-year-old Taliya Nesmith early Monday morning on Elmwood Avenue, according to the Philadelphia Police Department.
What we know:
Police released surveillance video from the deadly hit-and-run that happened around 3:30 Monday morning.
Video: Moments before deadly hit-and-run in Philly
Police are investigating after a 29-year-old woman was struck and killed by a speeding car while crossing the street in Southwest Philadelphia early Monday, according to investigators. Officers say the woman had just exited a rideshare when she was hit in the 7200 block of Elmwood, and the driver did not stop.
The video shows Taliya getting out of a Lyft and beginning to cross the 7200 block of Elmwood Avenue in southwest Philadelphia. Police believe a black Dodge Charger, driven at a high rate of speed, hit Taliya, who died shortly after at the hospital.
The driver did not stop after the crash. Police released stock photos and say they are the same make and model as the car from the crash.
Investigators believe it is a 2020 to 2023 Dodge Charger Hellcat or Scat Pack Widebody.
Anyone with information about the vehicle or the crash is urged to contact the Crash Investigation Division at 215-685-3180. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling the Philadelphia Police Department's Tip Line at 215-686-TIPS (8477) or online at phillypolice.com/tips. Police say all tips will remain confidential.
Woman fatally struck while crossing street in Southwest Philadelphia hit-and-run
Investigators say a 29-year-old woman was crossing the street moments after stepping out of a rideshare when she was fatally struck by a vehicle early Monday morning in Southwest Philadelphia.
Police say the crash happened just after Taliya arrived at an after-hours spot with friends. Her friends realized something was wrong when her location showed she was there, but they did not see her.
Family remembers Taliya Nesmith and pleads for justice
What they're saying:
"God bless the parents that made me. I look so good!" said Taliya Nesmith in cellphone video with her mom last May on a vacation in Cabo. The moment is more special now than ever since Taliya is no longer with her.
"They took a piece of my heart that I don't know if I'm ever going to get back. I don't know how I'm going to survive," said Lakisha Smith, who describes it as a nightmare. She’s trying to process the loss of her beautiful daughter.
"It's hard for me to understand that my child is 29 years old, and she's gone because somebody decided to speed down the street and couldn't take the time to stop," said Smith. She says her daughter was hanging out with friends and had just arrived at an after-hours spot when it happened.
"My understanding from her friends is that when they got there, her location said she was there, but they didn't see her. But they realized that this accident happened," she said. Smith says Taliya was a joy to be around and the life of the party.
"I would go to edge of the earth for her and they know that Taliya, I was her best friend," said Smith. She’s pleading for help finding whoever is responsible.
"You can't go on with your life like an everyday event knowing that you took the life of somebody," said Smith. "My daughter deserves justice," she said.
Smith describes her daughter as the life of the party and says they had a close relationship. She is asking for anyone with information to come forward.
What's next:
Police continue to investigate and are asking for the public’s help in identifying the driver and the vehicle involved in the crash.
What we don't know:
Police have not yet identified the driver or located the black Dodge Charger involved in the hit-and-run. It is not clear if there are any additional witnesses or leads at this time.
The Source: Information from the Philadelphia Police Department and the victim's family.