Eight-Year-Old ‘Lucky to Walk Again’ After Being Struck by Motorcycle

An eight‑year‑old boy is recovering after being hit by a motorcycle while crossing the street in Hopkins Village. Karter Benedit, a Standard Two student at Holy Family RC Primary School, was struck as he crossed the road with classmates shortly after school dismissal on Tuesday. Benedit suffered serious leg and head injuries and was rushed by ambulance to the Southern Regional Hospital for emergency care. His family says he is now in stable condition. Police have taken the driver into custody as the investigation continues. Earlier, we spoke with Karter’s mother, Dydy Martinez, who shared more about her son’s condition.

 

On the Phone: Dydy Martinez, Mother of RTA Victim

“Yesterday around four, his teacher had called me and told me that Karter got hit. So I had asked her how did he get hit? She told me that they say he got hit that I should meet them at the health center. So when I went to the health center they had just arrived, like the teachers brought him to the health center. That’s when I saw his leg out, like his back muscles came out. The ambulance came and we took him to Dangriga  that’s when they did about twelve or fifteen stitches. His head they did a stitch, like he got like two stitch on his back. It looked like I don’t know if the young man skid on his back, but he had scrape on his back and his like toes it has scrape as well and like half of his face is swell and his eyes are swell as well. It swell as well.”

 

Britney Gordon

“How is his recovery going so far?”

 

On the Phone: Dydy Martinez

“After the doctor had stitched him up, they told me that we, she showed me the white tissue then she said that that we were so fortunate that the white tissue didn’t get damaged because if that had gotten damaged, like he wouldn’t even walk again.”

 

Britney Gordon

“Do you guys feel that this incident was a result of a driver being reckless in a school area?”

 

On the Phone: Dydy Martinez

“Yeah. Yep. I feel like the police need to tighten up on those who are driving the cycle and yeah.”

 

Britney Gordon

“Okay. And Karter, it was after school that he got hit. Was there no school warden making sure that the children crossed safely?”

 

On the Phone: Dydy Martinez

“No. And I think, basically, I think that they need to do a bump as well in front of the school.”