ST. LOUIS - After more than a year of grief, a mother said she feels like she's finally obtained justice for her late son.
Back in April 2017, 7-year-old Demond Moorehead was hit and killed while he was crossing a south city street on his bicycle.
"We cry every day," said Johnika Davis. "Plenty of restless nights, obsession, heart ache, sadness."
At Johnika's insistence, St. Louis Metropolitan police reopened the case and arrested the driver Wednesday afternoon.
"At least it’ll give us a little closure," she said.
Investigators believe Jamaica Jackson was driving 15 miles over the speed limit, and ran a stop sign at the intersection of Michigan Avenue and Schirmer Street before striking Demond.
She was driving on a suspended license at the time.
Jackson reportedly dragged Demond's bike another block down the street, before coming to a stop.
"It was an horrific scene to see him like that and that will forever be in our memory," said Davis.
Initially, officers ruled it an accident, but Johnika refused to accept that answer.
"Something said 'You can’t give up, you have to keep going,' and that’s what I did," she said.
Prosecutors said they were finally able to review nearby surveillance video that showed Johnson didn't even try to stop.
The 18-year-old driver is now facing a second-degree involuntary manslaughter charge.
"I’m relieved knowing that the person that took my son’s life is behind bars and hopefully they can learn from their actions," said Davis.
Johnika acknowledges, nothing can ever bring her baby back into her arms, but she doesn't want his death to be in vain. She's now focused on making sure, other mothers don't experience the same pain.
"I would like to team up with the city if possible to put speed bumpers down so other families don’t have to go through this. People are speeding all the time," she said.
This isn't Jamaica Jackson's only run-in with the law. She'll also face property damage charges after she hit another person's car with a baseball bat two months ago.
