WEST NEW YORK – Two weeks ago, little Sheyla Pichardo, 7, was killed in a hit-and-run accident while holding her mother’s hand on the way to school in West New York.
That day, Mayor Felix Roque said the city would pay for the girl’s funeral expenses.
This week, a fundraiser appeared on gofundme claiming that the family has received no money from the city, and asking for help because the family needs more financial support. The page was not organized by the family, but by a friend of the family. However, the web page spells the girl’s name wrong.
After the Reporter asked several questions last week, Roque’s office responded late on Friday. West New York Town Spokeswoman Natalia Novas said that as promised, the family and funeral home ended up receiving more than $15,000 for expenses from various sources including a county victims’ fund, the West New York Police Benevolent Association, and the town of West New York. Roque also paid for the girl’s grandparents to travel from Mexico and stay in a hotel, Novas said.
For those interested, the gofundme page is here: https://www.gofundme.com/shailas-support.
UPDATE: Did West New York pay for funeral for girl killed in hit and run?
