Ten-year-old Peyton and her older brother Brent did everything together. On Wednesday night around 8:40 p.m., the siblings were riding an e-bike near Northwest 117th Street and Northwest Seventh Avenue. They were just cruising along like any other evening when a car turned directly into their path and shattered their family’s world.
Investigators say a silver or gray Nissan Versa, built between 2009 and 2012, was heading north on Northwest Seventh Avenue. The driver approached Northwest 117th Street and made a left turn, slamming right into the kids on their e-bike. Instead of stopping to help, the driver sped off into the night in an unknown direction.
When Miami-Dade deputies arrived at the intersection, they found both children lying unresponsive in the street. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue rushed Peyton and Brent to the Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital in critical condition. Peyton passed away from her injuries shortly after, while Brent survived surgery and remains stuck in a hospital bed.
The loss has left the children’s family broken and searching for answers. Their aunt Patrice described the two kids as completely inseparable, always glued to each other’s side. She remembered Peyton as a lively young cheerleader who brought joy to everyone around her.
“She was a cheerleader, you know, full of life. Everybody loved her,” Patrice said. She added that seeing this happen with nobody stepping forward feels completely senseless. Near the spot where the collision happened, friends and neighbors built a makeshift memorial filled with candles and bright balloons.
Patrice begged the person behind the wheel to step up and do the right thing. She urged the driver to turn themselves in, asking them to find a heart because these could have been anybody’s children. Family members say they just want accountability for the young girl whose life was cut short.
Detectives got a major break on Saturday when the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Traffic Homicide Unit found the suspect car. Officers located the silver or gray Nissan Versa and took it into agency custody for testing. However, authorities have not announced any arrests or named who was driving the vehicle when it was left behind.
As of Saturday, police still need the public’s help to finish solving this case. Investigators urge the driver to surrender immediately as criminal charges remain open. Anyone with information on the driver’s identity or location should call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers anonymously at 305-471-TIPS.
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