DES MOINES, Iowa — Just days after a 4-year-old boy died as a result of a crash on Fleur Drive, Local 5 spoke to his father about navigating the grief that follows.
"His tomorrows were taken away, you know, and this feeling is indescribable. You know, I feel like I'm drowning in a sea of pain," said Wilbert Faguada, the father of Marcos Faguada.
Faguada shared that, while Marcos was only with them for a few years, he was what made their family whole.
"It was just the three of us up to about five years ago, and when he came into our life, Jan. 21 2018. It was, you know, it was joy," Faguada added. "We were, we were happy, we were, you know, we were complete. And, right now, we [are] broken and just looking for light."
Marcos' aunt was driving him and his 8-year-old cousin on Fleur Drive around 6 p.m. Tuesday when a car crossed the median and hit them.
The car, which was driven by Robert Miller III, was traveling over 100 mph — witnesses say it was part of a street race with an SUV that fled the scene.
"It's so unfortunate, you know, the most innocent people traveling on the road, it happened to be my family," Faguada said.
Faguada said that, at first, members of the family blamed themselves, replaying the what-ifs over and over.
"In a small window, like, I asked myself, 'What if, you know, what if I went to pick them up?' Or my wife is, you know, she's super hurt, you know. She asked herself that same question. And in the moment, you know, we thought it was our fault," he said.
Miller was charged with seven offenses Thursday, including homicide by vehicle, reckless driving and excessive speed.
"As time you know, lapses, you know, this, this is their fault. You know, I can't blame myself here. You know, I can't. My wife can't blame herself. My, my sister should not blame herself," Faguada said.
For the Faguada family, there is still some hope amidst all the grief.
"You know, we're very happy that, you know, that this tragedy, it didn't — it could have easily been all three of them, you know, right," he said. "And, you know, we're singing for my son, we're definitely very fortunate for my sister and my nephew to be here with us."
Des Moines police are still seeking public help in locating the SUV that fled the scene. Police believe it is a 2021 BMW X7 with an Illinois license plate 10173.
If you have any information about this incident, you can call the Des Moines Police Department Traffic Unit at 515-323-8382 or Crime Stoppers of Central Iowa at 515-223-1400.