ST. LOUIS — It was supposed to be a fun day at Hickey Park for 9-year-old Codi Walker; his twin brother, Cori; his three siblings; and his mom. However, Antanette Jackson said she and her kids were at the north St. Louis park for just 10 minutes before their day took a tragic turn.
Witnesses told police that 50-year-old Kevin Johnson sped down North Broadway near Harlan Avenue in a truck, slammed into the back of Jackson's van and pinned her son between the two vehicles.
"It happened so fast," Jackson said. "I had just gotten my children out of my car, and there wasn't anyone coming down the road. Codi should have been able to go to that park and have fun with his brothers. I know he was scared."
The St. Louis Circuit Attorney's Office charged Johnson with one count each of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child, second-degree assault, armed criminal action and leaving the scene of an accident.
"I just want him to know there was no reason for him to be going that fast and what he did was wrong," she said. "He ruined my child's life."
Codi was trying to get a soccer ball and basketball out of their trunk at the time.
"It's really been tough because not only did I have to see my son that way, but his siblings had to see him that way," Jackson said. "His twin brother kept saying, 'My brother, my brother!' It's traumatizing on all of us."
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Codi is a straight-A student and third-grader at Oak Hill Elementary School. His mom says he loves people, Spider-Man and is always happy.
His lungs are now swollen, he cannot move his left arm as a result of the crash and he remains on life support.
"He has three broken bones by his spine. The doctors don't know if he's going to be paralyzed. His right leg is fractured," Jackson said.
According to dispatch logs, it took nearly 30 minutes for emergency responders with the St. Louis Fire Department to remove the child's body from the wreck. About four minutes later, they took Codi to a hospital.
"So many people called them, and it still took them so long in my opinion," Jackson said. "I think they should have better response time."
Codi opened his eyes quickly for the first time on Wednesday, giving his family hope.
"I'm just hoping that he comes out of this. It's very hard," said Antione Dailey, the boy's step-dad.
"When my son was born, he only weighed two pounds. The doctors didn't think he'd survive, but he did. He's always been a fighter, and he's fighting for his life now," Jackson said.
In a statement sent to 5 On Your Side on Wednesday night, St. Louis Fire Captain Garon Mosby said:
"On Sunday, April 21, 2024, the St. Louis Fire Department responded to N. Broadway and Harlan for a serious motor vehicle accident involving a minor child who became pinned between two motor vehicles. Our EMS personnel & firefighters arrived on the scene within minutes of receiving the call and immediately implemented the crush injury protocol to ensure the safety and well-being of the patient.
"This complex extrication operation required a high level of skill, precision and coordination between multiple emergency response teams. Our members worked diligently and methodically to safely free the child, as this type of rescue is a delicate process that must be executed with utmost care. Critical lifesaving medical interventions & care were performed throughout extrication.
"Despite the challenges presented by the intricacies of the incident, our members were able to successfully extricate the child in the safest manner possible. The child was transported urgently to a local hospital for further evaluation and treatment."
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