4-year-old boy struck, killed by driver during Father's Day celebrations in north side Milwaukee park

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Shatina Joseph recalls her young nephew as a "one-of-a-kind" big personality who loved to sing, dance, and rap.

"You can go on and on and on about Marquell," Joseph told CBS 58's Ellie Nakamoto-White. "Quell Quell... he was a people person."

Marquell Roby-Holmes, 4, had spent Sunday, June 16 surrounded by family at McGovern Park in Milwaukee.

“One of my big cousins was hosting a Father’s Day event for all the fathers in our family to show our appreciation," Joseph said. “Everyone was getting out of their cars, sitting, laughing by their cars, loading food or taking food out.”

But the celebration soon turned deadly.

Officials responded to reports of a fatal car crash around 6:30 p.m.

“My daughter, she screamed and everyone else heard a thud," Joseph said. “It was too late, and my daughter just grabbed him and was screaming, freaking out. His mom grabbed him out of my daughter’s hand, and she held her baby until the end.”

Now the family is pleading for drivers to slow down.

“It doesn’t just hurt us as a family and friends, it’s hurting as a community," Joseph said. "When there’s a child that’s gone, it affects everyone near or far.”

The family is planning to hold a vigil and balloon release at 6 p.m. on Monday, June 17 in honor of Marquell's legacy.

Marquell's uncle also created a GoFundMe to help with future costs. To donate, click here. 

The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office has not yet released any information about what led up to the crash or if the driver is facing any charges.

Correction: A previous version of this article stated the child was 2 years old per the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office. CBS 58 updated the age of the child to 4 following the autopsy completed by the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office.