Friends, Classmates Mourn SW Dade Teen Killed In Crash
SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE (CBSMiami) – Students at Southwood Middle School in southwest Miami-Dade wore blue on Monday in memory of a classmate who died last week in a horrific crash.
Thirteen year old Kaely Camacho's best friends say they can't believe she's gone.
"She gave us these bracelets," Terry Urbina told CBS4's Kara Kostanich.
The five-some wore matching bracelets and like most teenage girls did everything together.
"Now she's gone, we can't hang out with her, it's different, it's not the same," said Urbina.
"Everyday in the afternoon we would go on the bus and we would bump heads because we were both hard headed," said Bailey Yeomans as she fought back tears.
The grieving 8th graders leaned on each other for support as they remembered their beloved friend through pictures and video.
"It's not fair, we were inseparable with her for the past four years, it shouldn't happen to her," said Gabby Comas-Perez.
FCAT testing began on Monday, but the state has ruled that students at Southwood can take them at a later date as they grieve Kaely's death.
Kaely's friends set up a Facebook page dedicated to her memory. Monday morning they posted:
"Today is the day we all remember Kaely. At the school she went to we all will be wearing blue her favorite color."
Camacho was with her sisters and father in her father's minivan last Friday when 38-year old Sandor Guillen, who was behind the wheel of Range Rover, slammed into them at U.S. 1 and SW 184th Street.
"All of a sudden, we hear 'bang' and a woman screaming," said German Pascual. "We helped take her out of the van. Her father grabbed her in her arms. He laid down next to the tree in the grass and kept saying 'don't leave me, don't leave."
Kaely was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center where she died surrounded by her family. Her sister Breeann and her father Kirk were also hospitalized, treated and released.
"Even though she's not here with us right now she's always going to be a part of us," said the Camacho's neighbor Claudia Vera, "I think it's still a shock for us all to have to deal with it but we're all going to be family now."
After the crash Guillen jumped out of the Range Rover and ran away. He was eventually taken into custody and arrested. He's been charged with DUI Manslaughter, Vehicular Homicide, Leaving the Scene of a Crash involving a Death, and two counts of Leaving the Scene of a Crash Involving Great Bodily Injuries. Guillen was also driving with an expired license.
Guillen works as a physical therapist and Miami-Dade Police said he spent time between his home in Coral Gables and his parents home in Kendall. No one answered the door at either location Monday.
In 2009, Guillen was arrested for battery, but the charge was subsequently dropped. He was arrested again in 2010 for battery and disorderly conduct but those charges were also dropped.
Sources close to the investigation told CBS4's Gary Nelson that blood alcohol analysis from Guillen has not been returned to the police lab as of Monday morning.
The DUI manslaughter charge was based on his "impaired appearance" and a strong odor of alcohol about him at the scene of the collision.
Police sources said Guillen had been "at a gathering with friend" where he had been drinking the night before and into the early morning hours on the day of the accident.
Miami-Dade Police asked anyone who was with Guillen that night to come forward and speak to investigators. The Miami-Dade Traffic Homicide unit can be reached at 305-471-TIPS (3292).
On Tuesday, a religious service will be held in memory of Kaely at 6 p.m. at the Christ Fellowship Church, located at 8900 SW 168th Street in Palmetto Bay. On Wednesday, Kaely will be laid to rest at Caballero Woodlawn South, at 11655 SW 117th Avenue. The service will be held at 1 p.m.
The family has asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to:
M.A.D.D. Dade County
7700 N Kendall Drive
Suite 803
Miami, FL 33156
