Search for hit-and-run driver who killed 9-year-old outside of Atlanta rec. center resurfaces

The murder of a little boy resurfaced in Southeast Atlanta over the weekend.

Jamal Dean was nine years old when police say Tomasa Mendoza ran over him and kept driving. He died in the hospital. That was in Jan. of 2023.

Mendoza is still wanted.

Since his death, Dean’s father, Christopher Dean, said he has done his research on Mendoza.

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“She has family in the area. There are people that do know her that live in the area. She has a daughter in the area. The even talk. She has sons,” said Dean.

A wanted poster from Atlanta Crime Stoppers says her birth year is 1964. Police said she was driving a truck around Rosel Fann Recreational Center on Cleveland Ave. SE the night they think she hit the little boy.

Dean said his son was in the fire lane, heading into basketball practice when the truck hit him and kept going. He died in the hospital. He was nine years old.

“One day your child is here, you are getting ready for them to have a basketball tournament and, next thing you know, you got to prepare for his funeral,” said Dean.

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