MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Memphis mother is praying her son will live after getting hit by a car while biking home from the store on Saturday.
Wilyanna Brown says her son Denearion is charming and a real people-person.
“Anybody in the neighborhood that knows him will tell you he’s a good kid,” she said.
That’s why now, seeing her 14-year-old in the condition he’s in, is heartbreaking.
Denearion went from hoping to join the basketball team and band his freshman year at Hamilton High to fighting through brain and lung damage, along with a broken pelvis.
“It’s been devastating not even being able to hear his voice because I’m so used to hearing his voice and I can’t even touch him without him getting agitated or anything like that,” Brown said.
She says he, his younger brother and a friend went to a Whitehaven store Saturday night to get snacks. Their house is less than half-a-mile away from the store.
When Denearion was biking back on Horn Lake Road, a car hit him.
He was rushed to Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital and needed emergency surgery.
“I was like are you serious? I was in a state of shock. I was really devastated. I started to hyperventilate. I was like, ‘Oh my God, this cannot be happening.’”
The driver’s been charged with not having a driver’s license, insurance or registration.
“You shouldn’t have been driving period,” Brown said.
She says an officer told her he’d face serious charges along with those, but he isn’t. The driver stayed on the scene.
“I’m angry because I feel like he should get charged with more than what he’s being charge with, especially if my child doesn’t make it,” she said.
The driver told police Denearion pulled out in front of him, but Wilyanna says she’s heard a different story from other witnesses and is hoping charges will change.
“If you feel like you’re not getting the justice you need, speak out because no one else is going to do it for you.”
We reached out to Memphis police about the charges in the case on Tuesday, but we have not yet heard back.
We also left a message with the driver’s listed phone number.
