Sacramento family grieves back-to-back tragedies, seeks answers in fatal hit-and-run
SACRAMENTO -- A Sacramento family is grieving two horrible tragedies in the month of January.
"It was just a lot," said Mariam Seraya, 19.
Her family has known true heartache recently as they grieve the loss of three family members.
"It's hard, but you have to get through and keep going," said Mariam.
Two separate accidents this month that happened in North Highlands, both along Walerga Road, resulted in the death of Mariam's mother and cousin.
The first incident happened on January 8, when Mariam's cousin Anastasiya Seraya was fatally struck by a Union Pacific train.
The investigation into how this happened is still ongoing, but Mariam said it was common for her cousin to cross the tracks walking home. Her cause of death is still listed as "undetermined" by the Sacramento County coroner.
Then, on January 25, Mariam's mother and Anastasiya's aunt Violetta Seraya was the victim of a fatal hit-and-run.
The CHP is still investigating the crash and is working to track down the driver responsible who took off after crashing into Violetta around 9:30 p.m. as she crossed the road at Walerga Road and Elkhorn Boulevard. Mariam said her mom was likely walking home from the bus stop when she died.
Before it all, the women were all already grieving the death of their matriarch Valentina, who was Mariam's grandmother and Violetta's mother. Valentina moved their family to the United States from Ukraine back in the 1980s in search of a better life.
"I'm happy to have all these pictures of her around. Like these ones," said Mariam, showing CBS13 photos of her mother. "It's just, I think she was a beautiful soul, you know?"
Mariam last spoke to her mom the day she died, making plans to see a movie that they never got to keep.
"It's just replaying in my head that I made a promise and I never got to see her one last time," said Mariam. "Every time I think about it, I start crying. It's just so much regret."
The Serayas gathered every last dollar to their names to pay for the funerals of Valentina and Anastasiya, even taking out loans to cover the expenses.
"It was really hard," said Mariam.
The Seraya family organized an online fundraiser when Violetta was killed to try and raise money for her funeral. They are grateful to the Sacramento community for donating more than $7,000 to date.
They hope to finally be able to bury her next week. Still, their focus remains on justice for Violetta.
"Knowing that person is still out there scares me because it could happen to somebody else," Mariam said.
Mariam calls on her mom's killer to come forward and turn themselves in.
"How do you live with yourself?" Mariam asked. "Do you really want to live with that guilt?"
The CHP said a witness told police the suspect in the hit-and-run was driving a dark grey 4-door sedan with damage to the front end and a broken headlight.
Anyone with information is urged to call police.
