Boy, 13, went trick-or-treating in Tacoma on Halloween. Now he’s fighting for his life

November 10

The parents of a Puyallup boy have not left his side since he was hit by a car while trick-or-treating with his friends on Halloween.

It was the first time 13-year-old C.J. went out with his friends on Halloween night. He was crossing the intersection of South 96th and A Street in Tacoma when a vehicle hit him, according to a GoFundMe campaign.

C.J.’s family has requested The News Tribune not publish his last name due to privacy concerns.

Before crossing the intersection, C.J.’s friends were just ahead of him because he stopped to give candy to a homeless man, his cousin Vivian Ward told The News Tribune.

“He’s a very, very sweet boy, and he’s constantly giving, constantly checking on people,” she said.

C.J. was taken to Tacoma General Hospital with serious injuries before being transported to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, Ward said.

Ward said that C.J. has two broken eye sockets and the right side of his skull was removed. His liver also was lacerated, among other injuries. His brain and face swelled up to the point that surgeons are unable to do reconstructive surgery until the swelling subsides, she said. C.J. has been in an induced coma but was expected to wake up from it Friday.

The driver and witnesses stayed scene, according to the Tacoma Police Department. No arrests have been made. An investigation is ongoing.

Detectives are looking at video footage from that night, TPD detective William Muse told The News Tribune on Thursday.

C.J. is one of three children who were struck by vehicles on Halloween night in Tacoma, The News Tribune previously reported. Two 8-year-old children were injured in separate incidents, with one child being hospitalized for serious injuries.

Since the collision, C.J.’s parents have not left his bedside unless it is absolutely necessary, Ward said.

“We’re just staying strong in our faith and praying that he’s going to pull through with everything, but it has been extremely sad and stressful for everyone, just because C.J. is such a nice, sweet person,” she said.

Ward learned that after the accident, a neighbor held C.J.’s hand until the ambulance came. The neighbor also shooed someone away who tried to move C.J. before medics arrived, she said.

“When you’re impacted like that, any movement that’s not by a professional could cause more serious injury, so the person that helped him was smart and did what they needed to do,” Ward said.

Ward said her family learned through neighbors who live in the area that it was not surprising the accident happened because the road is considered problematic, and people usually speed there. If speed was a factor in the accident, Ward and her family hope there will be accountability.

“What we’re really hoping is that if lights can be added [to the crosswalk], or something that can make it more visible, if that was the reason that he got hit in any way,” she said. “We want to make sure that this does not happen again. We want to make sure that there’s proactive choices being made so that another child does not fall victim to this.”

Community support

C.J.’s family received several uplifting messages and prayers as the 13-year-old continues to recover.

“His school even donated some gift cards to help with transportation, which has been really awesome. Making that commute out to Seattle back and forth is stressful in itself, especially with gas prices,” Ward said.

Faith Lutheran Church, which is in the area where the collision took place, reached out to Ward and her sister-in-law to help set up a prayer vigil, she said.

“The church has been really wonderful,” Ward said.

Ward said it is hard that they are not able to talk to C.J. since he is unable to respond. His parents have been playing music for him, talking to him and reading Bible scriptures to him.

“His grandma was talking to him and holding his hand and saying ‘OK, pinky promise.’ Just all these little phrases that they would share back and forth and stuff,” she said.

The GoFundMe has raised about $5,267. The goal is to support C.J.’s family with transportation costs and of any other unforeseen expenses that might arise.

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