Mother backs over unseen boy

Her 3-year-old climbed out of the van when she left it briefly in a driveway, authorities say. The boy died after hours of surgery.

By MICHAEL SANDLER

© St. Petersburg Times, published June 26, 2000

TAMPA -- A 3-year-old boy died Sunday after his mother accidentally backed over him with her minivan in a driveway, authorities said.

Jesus A. Quinones climbed out of his car seat and through a broken window while his mother, Deisy Ortiz, 29, left him and two siblings unattended for a few minutes about 10 a.m. Sunday.

When she returned, she didn't realize he was missing, so she started the van and began backing up. The boy's 6-year-old brother yelled that Jesus had climbed out, but it was too late. Jesus was knocked to the ground.

"I heard a scream," said Harold Molenaar, who lives at the house where the accident occurred. "I thought she was punishing the kid. I thought she spanked him or something."

Jesus died at St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa at 3 p.m. after nearly four hours of emergency surgery, said hospital spokesman Greg Borstowicz.

Ortiz's sister-in-law, who identified herself only as Fina, said the family tried to remain optimistic during the surgery but feared the eventual outcome.

"The doctor came to tell us the boy suffered a lot of internal bleeding," she said through tears at her home, where Ortiz is staying. Fina said the family was grieving and did not wish to comment further.

Police said they do not intend to file charges against Ortiz.

"It's just an accidental death," said Sgt. R.J. Reynolds of the Tampa Police Department. "That's what we've got at this point in time."

The accident occurred shortly after Deisy Ortiz of 2506 W South Ave. stopped at a house at 2930 W Saint Conrad St. to pick up unwanted lumber from the Molenaar family.

Police said Ortiz drove her blue Pontiac Trans Sport into the driveway, turned off the engine and left her three children -- ages 6, 3 and 1 -- unattended for less than five minutes.

Harold Molenaar said a mutual friend brought her by his family's home to look at 2-by-4s and plywood.

"She wanted to fix up her house," Molenaar said.

While she was inside, Jesus climbed out of his car seat and through the broken passenger window.

Ortiz got out of the van and found the boy lying on the ground.

"One of the kids mentioned that the child was missing," Reynolds said. "She hears a baby crying and realizes she ran over her own child."

Molenaar said Ortiz immediately took the child to the hospital.

"After he was run over, she just got in the car and took off," Molenaar said. "She put him in the child seat and rushed him to the hospital."

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.