Family seeks answers in Miami Gardens hit-and-run
MIAMI GARDENS - A mother's excruciating pain is evident through her tears, after her youngest child, 23-year-old Juan David Salazar was hit by a car and left to die.
"I'm devastated, the world just collapsed on me 12 hours ago," said Glorida Arbelaez.
Salazar's loved ones say he was walking in his neighborhood around 11:30 Sunday night near Northwest 208th Terrace in Miami Gardens when he was struck by a black car speeding around the corner.
Salazar's family says he laid there for 45 minutes before he walked to his home for help.
"The first thing I did was call 9-1-1 and they never responded. The call was never answered or received," said Arbelaez.
Salazar's family rushed him to the hospital for treatment and he was transferred to Memorial Regional where he remains in the ICU with serious injuries
"He has a lot of back pain, and a lot of ribs — broken ribs — he has some blood in his liver and lungs," said Juan Ettedgui, a friend of Salazar's.
Those closest to Salazar describe as an active, friendly, responsible and God-fearing young man who has plans to be a doctor.
The family is dumbfounded someone would leave him Salazar just steps from his family home and they're asking the suspect to come forward.
"You're just a coward, to be honest, I don't know if you didn't see him or what, and please turn yourself in," said Ettedgui.
CBS News Miami reached out to Miami Gardens Police and have not heard back.
The family tells us it was a black car that hit their son, and they're asking anyone who has any information to come forward.
