MERIDEN, Conn. — Berlin police are continuing to investigate after a three-car crash led to the death of a Meriden toddler over the weekend.
Now, the community is stepping in to raise money for the family of two-year-old Ella Salgado.
“I just want people to understand and know that there’s another avenue to be able to help a family who will be in need of financial support. Not just for today and not just for tomorrow,” said Carrie Teele, co-owner of Moose’s Burgers on East Main Street in Meriden.
Teele and her business partner and boyfriend started a fundraiser at their restaurant, which will last through the end of October. Customers can make a donation online, over the phone or in person. Teele said 100% of the proceeds will go straight to Salgado’s mother and family. A link to donate online can be found here.
“It takes a village. And doing fundraisers like this will go to show that there is a village who is also behind her financially, emotionally,” Teele said.
While customers are not required to buy food in order to make a donation, Teele said many have been stopping by for a meal specifically for that reason since they made the announcement on social media.
“I saw that they were going to do a fundraiser for the little girl that was killed on the Berlin Turnpike… I just wanted to do a little bit for her,” said Meriden native, Maria Velez, with tears in her eyes.
Velez said she wants Salgado’s family to know she has the support of her neighbors.
“That we’re all thinking of them. We all have prayers up that they get through this. That we all know that this is really difficult,” Velez said.
With the community in mourning, Berlin police are looking into Saturday’s crash, which took place at the intersection of Route 5 and North Colony Road at around 3 p.m.
“We found a three-car crash, and in one of the vehicles, a young child and a car seat with a child in it had been ejected from one of the vehicles due to the damage of the vehicle,” said Drew Gallupe, deputy chief of the Berlin Police Department.
Gallupe said Ella was in her car seat in the backseat of a sedan alongside two other children with her mother and grandmother up front, driving on N Colony Road. Gallupe said when they came through the intersection to turn onto the Berlin Turnpike, a Jeep Cherokee coming from the other direction hit them, and then another car sitting at the red light.
“That vehicle, we know, veered off the roadway onto the median divider and then crossed into the northbound lanes, striking the vehicle as it was crossing through the intersection,” Gallupe said.
Despite officers performing life-saving measures, Ella didn’t make it. Another child who was in the car with her was sent to the hospital. Gallupe said that child was released from the hospital on Tuesday.
Gallupe said they are looking at all factors as to what led up to the crash, including whether the driver of the Jeep experienced a medical emergency.
“Our sympathies go out to the mother and the family that lost almost a three-year-old child, and our thoughts are with the other child to make sure that she doesn’t have any lasting injuries as well,” Gallupe said.
Gallupe said, at this time, they believe Ella and the other child injured in the crash were wearing seatbelts and were properly secured in the car.
As of now, the driver of the other car is not facing charges.
Berlin detectives are working with the Midstate Accident Reconstruction Squad in conjunction the State’s Attorneys Office to look into the crash. Anyone who witnessed or has information related to the crash is asked to call Sergeant Brett Kelly at (860) 828-7080.
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Julia LeBlanc is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jleblanc@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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