'No Words': Mother Shares Unspeakable Grief Of Daughter’s Killing

UNION, NJ — The mother of Maria Niotis, one of the two girls killed on Monday in Cranford after being hit by an SUV, shared grief, pain and memories of her child with the media Thursday night in Union Township.

"(Maria was) the kind of girl who could walk into a room and light it up just by being herself," her mother Foulla said, as she took the podium to share her daughter's memory with the world. "She had a laugh that could soften the hardest days, and a heart that cared deeply for everyone around here."

Services for both Maria and 17-year-old Isabella Salas, the other former Cranford High School student hit and killed while riding an electronic bike along Burnside Avenue, are continuing over the next few days.

Both will join together in being laid to rest at Fairview Cemetery in Westfield.

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"There are no words that can truly describe the pain of losing your child," Maria's mother said on Thursday night. "You wanted to make the world more beautiful, and you did...I promise you your light will never go out."

A local business with ties to the family has confirmed to Patch that a GoFundMe fundraising website has been launched to directly benefit the loved ones of the girls has been organized. Funds will be shared evenly to help with funeral costs.

Fatal Crash

At around 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Cranford Police arrived at Burnside Avenue after two teenage bike riders were hit by a vehicle, according to authorities.

The two girls were airlifted to the hospital, where they later died, authorities said.

Authorities have not confirmed any motives behind the crash.

On Thursday, 17-year-old Vincent P. Battiloro was identified through court records as the suspect police say drove his 2021 Jeep into the girls before fleeing the scene.

Both the families of Isabella and Maria have come out and called the boy "a coward of a man" and confirmed reports that he had been stalking at least one of the girls for months.

"He is not insane, he is competent and meditated," said the families.

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Anyone with any information regarding the case is asked to reach out to Union County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Task Force Detective Alex Lanza at 908-370-4318 or Cranford Police Detective Jason D’Agostino at 908-276-0171.

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