MERIDEN, Conn. — Nearly a week after a Meriden toddler was killed in a crash on the Berlin Turnpike, her mother wants to thank the community for stepping up to help.
That help comes in the form of a fundraiser at Moose’s Burgers on East Main Street in Meriden, lasting all month long. This, on top of many messages of support now coming in from neighbors.
“It gives me a break to [think], ‘Okay, everybody is like, helping me out now.' I could take a break and try now to be strong for my other daughter that needs me now,” said Fatima Ramirez Salgado, the mother of two-year-old Ella Salgado.
Fatima, her three children, and her grandmother were in the car Saturday afternoon going to buy clothes for Ella’s picture day, set for Thursday. Berlin police said they were on the Berlin Turnpike near North Colony Road when another car hit the median and then their car, before crashing into a third car sitting at the red light.
Police said Ella - who was in her car seat - and her 10-year-old sister were thrown from the vehicle. Ella didn’t make it. Fatima’s 10-year-old daughter was also sent to the hospital with injuries.
On Tuesday, Fatima’s surviving daughter was released, and is now recovering at home.
“I just keep checking around it’s like, I’m not really dreaming like, this is like real, like, she’s really, really gone,” Fatima said, talking about Ella. “I know that she’s in heaven. You know, happy, running around. Doing what she was doing out here.”
Ella was just two months shy of her third birthday. Fatima said they had a big trip planned to visit family in California to celebrate.
“Everybody would tell you that she had a whole chapter in her like, she was just the happiest baby ever. Like even when you tried to be mad at her, you cannot because it was just like something in her,” Fatima said.
To show their support, the owners of Moose’s Burgers started a fundraiser to help Fatima and her family. Customers can donate in person, online or over the phone. The owners say if folks want to simply make the donation, buying food is not a requirement.
“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,” said Carrie Teele, co-owner of Moose’s Burgers.
The fundraiser is set to last through the end of October. One hundred percent of the proceeds will go to Fatima and her family.
Fatima told FOX61 she wants to personally thank the owners for doing this, saying it’s helping her more than they know.
“It was like really heavy. And after everybody helping me out and stuff like, it's kind of like, alright so I’m not alone in this,’” Fatima said.
This help comes after Fatima says she was first attacked by people on social media following the crash, with people making false accusations about what happened. Fatima said she was forced, while in the hospital, to post on social media and correct the rumors.
“I just hated how I had to like explain myself and like, tell my story when I was not even ready to do it. And like, I was just sitting at the hospital just telling my friend like I don’t want to do this, like she had to take my phone away because it was getting to me,” Fatima said. “Now that it’s out, the truth, like everybody is just supporting me and like I feel better about that.”
Fatima said the growing support will now help her to focus on remembering her baby girl and giving her the services she deserves.
“Ella was such a happy baby like, everybody that knew Ella loved her,” Fatima said.
On top of the fundraiser at the restaurant, Fatima also set up her own GoFundMe page. To take a look at that, click here.
There will be a private memorial service for Ella later this month.
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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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