FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM FEBRUARY 24, 2022 • THE QUEENS COURIER 11
Fundraiser set up to help pay for Far Rockaway girl’s funeral expenses
BY BILL PARRY
bparry@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Queens leaders are urging their constituents
to support a fundraising eff ort
for the family of the 10-year-old girl
who was tragically struck and killed by
a motorist in Far Rockaway last week.
Davina Afokoba was walking home
from school with her two siblings last
Wednesday on Beach Channel Drive
near Dix Avenue when a black Mazda
CX9 SUV jumped the curb, killing her
and injuring a 32-year-old woman as it
smashed into a vacant car wash.
“Our community has experienced a
terrible tragedy — the death of a child
— a beautiful young girl, full of promise
with a bright future ahead of her,”
state Senator James Sanders said. “As a
father myself, I can tell you that I could
not imagine anything more devastating
than losing a child. Davina Afokoba
should be with us today, celebrating life
with her family and friends, but instead,
they are planning for her funeral.”
Davina’s mother Priscilla has launched
a GoFundMe page to help the family
pay the costs of her youngest daughter’s
funeral. Queens Borough President
Donovan Richards asked Queens residents
to help the youngster’s family deal
with the aft ermath of this tragedy.
“Th e sudden loss of 10-year-old
Davina Afokoba in last week’s tragic
crash has left Queens and all of our city
deeply saddened and shaken,” Richards
said. “Our hearts go out to Davina’s
loving family during this awful time.
Donations to the GoFundMe fundraiser
are a great way for the community
to show its support
for Davina and her family
as they cope with the
unimaginable task of burying
an innocent child who
had her entire life ahead
of her.”
Th e 35-year-old driver of
the SUV allegedly had no
license, only a learner’s permit.
Police from the 101st
Precinct in Far Rockaway responded
to the scene and discovered the youngster
pinned between the vehicle and the
building. EMS responded and declared
the child dead at the scene.
“We need to do all we can to prevent
reckless driving and fatal collisions,”
Sanders said.
At least 26 people have been
killed in traffi c collisions, a 63%
increase compared to this point in
2021, as of last Th ursday. Of those,
fi ve were 18 or younger, according
to Councilwoman Selvena
Brooks-Powers who represents Far
Rockaway.
“My heart sank when I
received the news of
Davina Afokoba’s
death,” Brooks-
Powers said. “I have
met with her family,
who are completely
devastated
by this loss. I am
keeping them in
my thoughts and
prayers. One traffi
c death is one
death too many.
District 31 had
11 traffi c fatalities
in 2021,
more than
any other
Council
distr ict .
Th ese senseless deaths are the result of
years of underinvestment and neglect of
our public space.”
In her role as chair of the transportation
and infrastructure committee,
Brooks-Powers said she will make it a top
priority to visit each of her colleagues’
districts in the coming weeks to identify
the transportation issues facing every
neighborhood.
“I am looking forward to working with
Mayor Adams’ administration to address
transportation inequities and ensure safer
streets for our families and communities,”
Brooks-Powers said.
In New York City, car crashes remain
the leading cause of injurious death for
children, she added.
“Our children deserve better. Our children
deserve to cross the street without
fear, and to walk on the sidewalk without
worry,” Transportation Alternatives
Executive Director Danny Harris said.
“Our hearts go out to the families of
10-year-old Davina Afokoba and the others
who were killed and injured by cars on
unsafe roads this week.”
He called on the mayor to work with
the City Council to expand Vision Zero,
to fast-track DOT Commissioner Ydanis
Rodriguez’s commitments to redesign
1,000 intersections for safety and redesign
dangerous roads.
“Th is work must start without delay,”
Harris said. “We need to be traveling with
our leaders from groundbreaking-togroundbreaking
instead of vigil-to-vigil.”
Photo courtesy of GoFundMe
The mother of
10-year-old Davina
Afokoba has
established a
GoFundMe page
to help pay for
her daughter’s
funeral after she
was struck and
killed by an SUV
while walking
home from
school in Far
Rockaway
earlier this
month.
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