{"id":1699,"date":"2026-06-09T06:03:29","date_gmt":"2026-06-09T06:03:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tucsonmovingreport.com\/?p=1699"},"modified":"2026-06-09T06:03:29","modified_gmt":"2026-06-09T06:03:29","slug":"i-just-want-justice-family-mourns-toddler-killed-in-west-phoenix-hit-and-run","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tucsonmovingreport.com\/?p=1699","title":{"rendered":"\u2018I just want justice\u2019: Family mourns toddler killed in west Phoenix hit-and-run"},"content":{"rendered":"
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PHOENIX (AZFamily)<\/b> \u2014 A man is accused of fleeing the scene after running over and killing a toddler late Sunday night in west Phoenix.<\/p>\n

Read more PCSD releases statement after three YouTubers arrested near Nancy Guthrie\u2019s home<\/a><\/p>\n

Shortly before 9 p.m., Phoenix police were called to the crash near 31st Avenue and Buckeye Road. <\/p>\n

Once police arrived, they found 16-month-old Lupe Morales had been hit by a car and was in critical condition. He was rushed to the hospital but later died.<\/p>\n

Police identified the suspect as 35-year-old Carlos Rojas Mora. Prosecutors described Mora as the child\u2019s neighbor and said he is a Mexican national.<\/p>\n

Authorities said no one was watching Lupe when he wandered into the street and was hit by the car. Investigators said Mora then got into another vehicle and drove away.<\/p>\n

Mora was later found and booked into the Maricopa County jail on a charge of hit-and-run involving death.<\/p>\n

He appeared in front of a judge on Monday afternoon. <\/p>\n

\u201cI lost my one-year-old son, and I\u2019ll never be able to get him back,\u201d the child\u2019s mother said during Mora\u2019s initial court appearance. \u201cInstead of him staying on scene and taking accountability for his actions, he fled like a coward. I hope you guys do not release this man. He is not even a man, he\u2019s a monster.\u201d<\/p>\n

The child\u2019s father also addressed the court.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt just hurts that he just left them there to die without helping us and trying to flee and I just want justice for my son,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Read more Family seeks answers after man found dead in van outside Mesa care facility<\/a><\/p>\n

Prosecutors allege Mora later asked a friend to drive him to Mexico.<\/p>\n

Mora\u2019s friend reportedly called Goodyear police to turn him in and dropped him off in the area of 43rd Avenue and Missouri Avenue.<\/p>\n

Court records say Mora ended up at another friend\u2019s house and was taken into custody early Monday morning after a traffic stop where he was a backseat passenger.<\/p>\n

After his arrest, court documents say Mora told police he ran because he knew the toddler\u2019s father had a gun and feared the father would hurt him. Mora also reportedly claimed he was on his way to the police station when his friend was pulled over, and he was taken into custody.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t stress enough if you think that you hit someone stop your vehicle, double check and just call police,\u201d said Sgt. Lorraine Fernandez of Phoenix police. \u201cWe will come, we will respond, we will investigate and we\u2019re here to hear both sides of the story and figure out what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mora is being held on a $100,000 cash-only bond. <\/p>\n

See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? <\/i>Please click here to report it<\/i>.<\/i><\/p>\n

Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send <\/i>it to us here<\/i> with a brief description.<\/i><\/p>\n

Read more Two YouTubers arrested near Nancy Guthrie\u2019s home<\/a><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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