Suspect Surrenders In Hit & Run That Left 9-Year-Old Hospitalized

DECATUR, GA -- The suspect in a terrifying hit-and-run last week that left a 9-year-old girl hospitalized has turned himself in. Earlier on Tuesday, DeKalb police said they had identified the driver who they believe struck LaDerihanna Holmes while she was playing in the front yard of her Lithonia home. That suspect, they said, is facing several charges, including hit and run, serious injury by vehicle and reckless driving, among others.

Late Tuesday night, Channel 2 reported the suspect, identified as Gabriel Fordham, 30, surrendered to police.

The charges stem from an incident on Friday, April 5, when Holmes suffered a fractured skull, broken pelvis and several other internal injuries. Holmes was struck by a 2017 Ford Fusion that sped into her front yard. Video of the incident has since gone viral, and has attracted national attention.

Gabriel Fordham (Image DeKalb Sheriff)

Police said the driver and passenger of the car left the scene on foot after the crash. A friend of Holmes, who was with the girl, suffered a foot injury. Holmes is recovering from her injuries, and her family has set up a GoFundMe to help with her medical expenses.