Vigil held for hit-and-run victim

EW BRITAIN, Conn. (WTNH) -- A mother is begging for help in finding the person who ran down her son as he was crossing the street and left him there to die.

That New Britain mother says whoever was behind the wheel that night is a killer.

At a vigil for the victim Friday night folks handed out flyers hoping somebody will recognize the car and call police.

"All my baby said is 'bye ma, I love you,' and I said I love you too, and I would never hear those words again, never," said Barbara Playis, mother of the victim.

Tears and rage flood the street where 16-year-old Jackson Dejesus was run over and left to die. Surveillance video released by police shows the speeding car on North Street and is cut just short of the fatal collision.

Hundreds lined the sidewalks to comfort a mother who lost her teenager and encourage the driver to come forward.

"I just need this guy off the streets," Playis said. "This guy shattered my life, he shattered my kid's life. I just need this guy to get off the streets, I really do."

"The person was an animal," said Raymond Waller, of New Britain.

While families mourn the loss and try to make sense of the tragedy they are keeping a close eye on their kids.

"Thank God she wasn't with him that night because there were four of them together, and it was whoever was at that particular spot at that particular time because one person was across the street," said Waller. "He was in the middle and the car just plowed through the middle and never stopped."

While parents in the North Street area are keeping both eyes on their children, they are also watching the road for speeders.

"Please slow down on this block from now on, our kids are dying," multiple people shouted out at passing cars at the vigil.

"They took my baby, all because they were speeding in the street," said Playis, "The street done killed so many people, they need to do something, speed bumps, lights or a stop sign or something."