EXCLUSIVE: Hit and run victim speaks out - wave3.com-Louisville News, Weather & Sports

EXCLUSIVE: Hit and run victim speaks out

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Katie Adkins Katie Adkins
Black SUV from accident video Black SUV from accident video
CLEVELAND, OH (WOIO) -

The 12-year-old girl critically injured in a recent hit and run has been released from the hospital.

Katie Adkins spoke exclusively with 19 Action News Thursday evening.  Katie was struck on Friday, September 14, while crossing Denison Ave. at W. 31st St. in Cleveland.

"I'm a miracle," Katie said. "I didn't die. I could have died."

Katie was badly injured in the hit-skip. She broke several bones and already had surgery to fix her jaw.

"She had two fractures and her tongue was cut in half," Katie's mom Ginger said. "She's missing teeth. She had blood on her brain and she had a lacerated spleen.  She has bruised lungs.  She has broken half femur bone, two fractures on her pelvic bone and she had to have three blood transfusions, and she was put on a ventilator."

The driver who hit her is still on the loose, but a private security video captured the black SUV suspected in the crime.

"He could have slowed down. He could have stopped," Ginger said. "She laid there helpless on the ground. He just let her lay there, didn't know if she was alive or not. Apparently, he didn't care either. He didn't care. He didn't care at all."

No one was able to get a description of the driver, but the suspect's vehicle has possible front-end damage and damage to the windshield.

"I know my daughter flipped up in the air, and from what everybody tells me, over the car, hit the windshield, landed and was all twisted up," Ginger said.

"He needs to turn himself in," Katie added.

The Cleveland Division of Police is asking that anyone with information about this incident to contact the Accident Investigation Unit at 216-623-5295. Anonymous information can be given to Crime Stoppers by calling 216-25-CRIME or Text "TIP657" plus your message to CRIMES (274637).

Copyright 2012 WOIO. All rights reserved.

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