Family wins $8M after delayed response to fatal crash

Family wins $8M after delayed response to fatal crash

A tragic oversight has gripped Miami. The family of 22-year-old Annie Becerra was awarded $8 million in a negligence lawsuit against local law enforcement. This lawsuit stemmed from a devastating accident on November 30, 2018. On that day, Becerra was fatally injured and her body was not discovered by first responders until 90 minutes after the crash.

Annie Becerra was riding in the passenger seat of a Nissan Versa. The car was being driven by her boyfriend Freddy Mieryteran. However, it wasn’t a smooth ride, as it recklessly sped through a red light and collided with another vehicle. Mieryteran fled the scene. As a result, leaving Becerra trapped and unnoticed in the wreckage at the scene. It was not until a Florida State Trooper conducted an inventory of the accident nearly an hour and a half later that Becerra was found. She was wedged between the dashboard and the passenger side front floorboard.

Sadly, Becerra, who was a young mother, succumbed to her injuries two days following the accident. The delay in her discovery was critical. Her family’s attorney argued that the precious time lost could have been used to potentially save her life.

The jury decided to award $8 million to the family. This spotlights the severe consequences of the delayed emergency response. Also, the systemic failures that occurred that night. The Miami-Dade Police and the state troopers involved faced scrutiny for their initial handling of the accident scene. It focused on interviewing witnesses, rather than assessing the crash site thoroughly.

The community and law enforcement agencies are now compelled to reevaluate their procedures to ensure faster and more effective responses in critical situations.

Source: NBC Miami

Family wins $8M after delayed response to fatal crash