Mother of little girl killed in Cambridge, Ont. crash speaks after police charge driver

The mother of a three-year-old girl who was killed in Cambridge, Ont. seven weeks ago says it’s been a painful time as she waited for charges to be laid.

On Thursday, the Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) announced a 75-year-old Cambridge man had been charged with dangerous operation causing death and driving with an obstructed windshield for the Dec. 11 crash.

“[It’s been] extremely difficult,” Shihan Shea told CTV News on Friday. “The sense of – there’s no closure and that he’s been able to go about living and existing and I feel like my whole life is gone.”

Shea said she and her daughter were near the Westgate Plaza on Cedar Street on that fateful day. Shea was walking while her daughter was in a stroller. They had just stopped for a snack.

Shea said they were crossing the driveway that serves as an entrance and exit to the plaza when the crash happened. She said other drivers had seen the pair and waved them on, but the driver who hit them, who she said was leaving the plaza, did not stop.

Shea said after the initial contact, she hit the hood of the vehicle and yelled, trying to get the driver to stop.

“But it didn’t stop. He just kept going,” she said.

Her daughter was fatally injured and died in hospital.

Shea remembers her three-year-old as a little girl who greeted everyone she met.

“She was always happy. Always just friendly with everybody. She made the world seem good in that sense.”

Shea still deals with the pain of waking of every morning and realizing her daughter is gone.

“I still wake up, waiting, hoping that I can just go in there and wake her up and live my normal day that I’m supposed to. And she’s not there anymore.”

Charges

When asked why it took several weeks to announce the charges, WRPS Inspector Scott Griffiths said investigations take time.

“The investigation into any vehicular death or fatality is always a complex and lengthy process that involves an extensive examination of various types of evidence and other witness information, video and technical analysis,” Griffiths said.

Griffiths confirmed the mother and daughter were on the sidewalk in front of the driveway into the plaza when the crash happened.

Anyone found guilty of dangerous operation causing death can face serious consequences.

“The possibility for significant imprisonment, lengthy license suspensions and other sanctions can be levied by the court,” Griffiths explained.

When it comes to the obstructed windshield charge, Griffiths said all drivers are responsible for ensuring they have a clear view out of their vehicle. Griffiths would not specify what obstructed the driver’s windshield, but said it was not snow or ice.

The charges have not yet been tested in court. The accused is scheduled to appear again in April.

Call for safety improvements

Following the crash, and amid other concerns raised about the area, Cambridge council voted to ask the region to look at implementing changes on Cedar Street between Grand Ridge Drive and St. Andrews Street.

Specifically, the motion asked for the speed limit to be reduced to 40 km/h as an immediate safety measure.

It also asked for a pedestrian safety review to be done.

In a statement, staff from the Region of Waterloo’s transportation department said, “We’ve received the motion from City of Cambridge Council and are waiting on WRPS to finish their investigation before determining next steps.”

Shea said she feel safety improvements to the area are overdue.

“These changes should have happened years ago,” she said.

“I feel that maybe there was the chance that she should still be here if there was an actual red light there indicating that he was not allowed to go, that I had the right of way.”