Sweet Bridgewater Girl Killed On Bike Was 'Impossible Not To Like'

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — Described as a social butterfly who made friends easily, 11-year-old Victoria Pereira Bastos of Bridgewater was impossible not to like "because she was so sweet to everyone," according to her obituary.

Victoria was riding her bike on Saturday in the Finderne section of the township when she was fatally hit by a pickup truck.

Born in Newark, Victoria and her family had just moved to Bridgewater six months ago where she was a student at Hillside Intermediate School.

"She always loved listening to music while reading a book or while talking on her phone with all of her friends. Victoria was an active girl who enjoyed playing volleyball, soccer, and on her trampoline," according to her obituary.

She is survived by her parents Vitor Bastos and Cynthia Pereira; her younger sister Natasha Bastos, her grandparents Vitoria Sabino, Maria Onete Goncalve Pereira, Geraldo GoncalvesPereira; her aunts and uncles, Isabel Bastos and her husband Jorge Mateus, Graziana Mendes and her husband Davidson Mendes, Adila Aparecida and her husband Thiago Candido, and Claudiene Aparecida.

A funeral service will be held Friday, April 8, at 2 p.m. at Higgins Home For Funerals, 752 Mountain Blvd., Watchung. A visitation will follow the service from 2:30 to 7 p.m. Cremation services are private.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Victoria’s Go Fund Me Page. The fundraiser has raised more than $60,000 for the family since it was launched on Monday morning. Read More: Support Surges For Bridgewater Girl Killed While Riding Bike

On Saturday, April 2, Maria A. Toribio, 22, of Bridgewater, was driving a 2021 GMC Sierra pickup truck north on Fulton Street when she hit Victoria Bastos riding her bike at the intersection of Fulton Street and 3rd Street, said Bridgewater Police Officer Kevin Florczak.

At 6:08 p.m., Bridgewater Township Police went to the scene and the girl was taken to Robert Wood Johnson Hospital Somerset where she was pronounced dead, said Florczak. Read More: Young Girl Hit, Killed By Pickup Truck At Bridgewater Intersection

"Our hearts go out to the family, to the Bastos. As a father of kids that age I just can’t begin to fathom the amount of grief that family is going through right now. I speak for myself and the council and the whole town to say our prayers for them," said Bridgewater Mayor Matthew Moench during the April 4 Council meeting. "When something like this happens the whole town really feels it."

"We celebrate as a community, we mourn as a community," said Councilman Michael Kirsh.

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.

Get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our new app. Download here. Don't miss local and statewide announcements. Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters