FORT WORTH, Texas — Apollo Rogers just celebrated his 12th birthday on Nov. 4th. But now, his family is planning his funeral and send this message to the hit-and-run driver responsible for taking his life.
“Just please turn yourself in," Terena Carter said. "Don’t live with the guilt of knowing that you have killed an innocent child."
The hit-and-run happened just before 8 p.m. Thursday at East Berry Street and Stalcup Road. Police have worked non-stop gathering clues such as surveillance videos. They are also checking to see if the Police Flock Cameras recorded the license plate in the area at the time of the incident. Investigators hope to identify the driver of a white Jeep Cherokee who they say ran a red light and struck Apollo who was in the crosswalk.
“We have been looking at different cameras we have in the area, different witnesses have given us information," said Officer Buddy Calzada, "We utilize all that information, put it together and that’s how we came up with this Cherokee.”
Prior to the hit-and-run, Apollo and his sister had just left an after-school program blocks away at the Young Men Leadership Academy where he attends school. One of his school mentors described Apollo as a student full of life who enjoyed being at the academy. Fort Worth ISD provided grief counselors Friday for his classmates.
"Apollo was one of the best students in our leadership program in school. He didn't give us any problems at all," said Mark Carter, the after-school coordinator at YMLA.
His mother said Apollo loved school and being outside and being around people.
Apollo especially being around family. His mother shared several photographs of Apollo with his siblings. He also took photos with classmates. His mother is not the only one with a message for the driver who killed him.
"This family is not going to have this child around the table during Thanksgiving, for Christmas," Calzada said. "You need to come forward. You need to come talk to us now.”
Athough finding the driver won’t bring Apollo back, his family says it will help them heal. Apollo's father and mother met with funeral home directors Friday afternoon, but they are not prepared to cover the cost of a funeral for their son. His family started a GoFundMe asking for donations.
