Police Find Silver Car Linked To Death Of Bal Harbour Child

BAL HARBOUR, FL — Miami-Dade police on Tuesday recovered a silver 2018 KIA Optima they believe was involved in a daylight hit-and-run crash over the weekend that took the life of a 14-year-old boy.

Police were still searching for the person who drove away without stopping in this affluent seaside community.

"The vehicle was located this morning. Unfortunately, we cannot disclose the area where it was found for the integrity of the investigation," Detective Argemis Colome of the Miami-Dade Police Department told Patch on Tuesday. "Miami-Dade police traffic homicide detectives are processing the car, processing the area where they found the vehicle."

Colome said investigators made contact with an attorney for 24-year-old Luisa Fernanda Ahearn, who had been sought for questioning in connection with the crash. She has not been charged.

"Her attorney has reached out to us," Colome said. "We’re still conducting our investigation. She was not the driver of the vehicle. So we’re still looking for the driver."

The child killed in the crash was identified as Ethan Gordon, who was struck shortly after 6 p.m. Saturday as he was crossing Collins Avenue near Frontage Road, a small street on the beach side of Collins Avenue not far from the Bakers Haulover Inlet Bridge, which connects Bal Harbour to Haulover Park.

Bal Harbour Mayor Gabriel Groisman said on social media his heart was broken after hearing the news of the child's death. He said the child lived in Bal Harbour and he urged his fellow residents to hug their children.

"May his memory be a blessing," Groisman said in a message to residents. "I just want to send our love and prayers to the family of this boy."

Colome said he did not know where the child was heading at the time of the crash along busy Collins Avenue in an area lined with high-rise oceanfront condominiums and a few large hotels.

"Someone just ran him over and didn’t even bother to stop," Colome told Patch. "I can only imagine what this family is going through."

Miami-Dade police said the child was taken to a hospital by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue where he died from his injuries.

The driver of the Optima continued to head north on Collins Avenue into Sunny Isles Beach and then took the 163rd Street Bridge to the mainland.

Colome said police are hoping someone remembers seeing the people in the car.

"This happened in plain daylight. This was 6:15 (p.m.) in the middle of Collins Avenue," Colome said. "Any piece of information, no matter how small. Anybody that may have seen how many people were in the car, if it was a male, a female in the driver’s seat — any piece of information."

Colome said it is a felony to leave the scene of a crash with injuries in Florida.

"Those seconds or minutes of them stopping, rendering aid and calling 9-1-1, who’s to say if that could have saved this young man’s life," Colome added.

To report a tip, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS (8477) or 866-471-8477. Alternatively, visit www.crimestoppersmiami.com and select "Give a Tip" or text "CSMD" followed by the tip information to 274637.