Provo neighbors call for safety reforms after child killed in mobile home park accident

PROVO, Utah (ABC4) — A tragedy in Provo on Tuesday left a three-year-old dead and a four-year-old injured after a car hit the children while playing outside of a mobile home park. Now, the driver is booked into the Utah County Jail and neighbors are coming together to help the family.

Tonight, neighbors gathered to mourn the loss and support the grieving family, uniting in both heartbreak and frustration over what they say are long-standing safety concerns within the community.

The video, captured by a neighbor, shows the moments leading up to the car hitting the children. Now, as neighbors come together, another neighbor is stepping up to help Sandoval, translating for him so he can share his story.

“At that moment, I stood still with my kids while fixing the bike, and my children were next to me watching me fix the bike, not on the road,” Sandoval said. Sandoval jumped into action after his kids were hit and broke the passenger side window of the vehicle.

“The reason why I bashed the windows was out of instinct,” Jorge Sandoval said after his three-year-old daughter, Claudia, was hit by a car and killed.

The Sandoval family is grieving the loss of their little girl, and neighbors are stepping up to help.

“Everyone is affected, and I feel like everyone here cares and wants to contribute,” Baxter said. Neighbors like Cindy Baxter are knocking on all 49 trailer doors in the park to help raise money for the family.

“With the GoFundMe, I was trying to reach the older community, going door to door to collect as much as we could for the family,” Baxter said.

After 11 years in the park, Baxter says she has had enough and hopes the owners of the park will make changes.

“We’ve even had animals hit in here because of people speeding, and yes, we currently have speed bumps, but I don’t feel like there’s enough, there’s not enough signs as we’ve said about children playing, a speed limit, and an actual limit posted at every entrance,” Baxter said.

Neighbors are pleading with the park owner to add more speed bumps and post speed limit signs.

​Provo City Code says mobile home park owners don’t have to post speed limits or add speed bumps on private roads, but they can choose to do so. The park manager says they have speed bumps, and tow cars are parked in the streets. Baxter hopes the park will consider their plea for help.

“I’d like to see changes made with more of those things implemented. I wouldn’t even think it would be too much to ask for a park for these kids. Can you give them somewhere to play?” Baxter said.

The money will be distributed directly to the family for bills, funeral expenses, and any other necessary expenses, via their GoFundMe.