On January 28th, 15-year-old Samantha Romero and 2 year old Denver Gomez were knocked down by an allegedly drunk Marcial Mes who was behind the wheels of his government issued Nissan Patrol. Since then the story has disappeared from the headlines and both Samantha and Denver were transferred from the KHMH to the Universal Hospital. They are no longer in the hospital and are recovering at home. Today we visited them to find out they are coping.
Keith Swift Reporting,
The last time we visited with 15-year-old Samantha Romero and 2-year-old Denver Gomez at the end of January - they were both lying in hospital beds. Baby Denver was unconscious and barely clinging to life while his aunt Samantha had bruises and scrapes all over her face and she was barely able to talk.
Today we met Samantha and baby Denver at a house in Belize City that these Toledo residents are calling a home for the time being. A playful 2-year-old Denver was posing for our cameras in his mother's arm - and he was well enough to talk to me. Meanwhile Samantha - like any other teenager - was in bed watching television. Both are showing remarkable improvements - in fact Denver's mom says her son's recovery is nothing short of miraculous.
Keniesha Romero, Denver's Mother
"He was in the coma for about eight days and he started to talk, I think it is the Tuesday he started to talk. The first word he said, I remember I was by his bedside and I was praying and asking God to please help him and I was crying and praying and I told him I love him and I want him to talk to me and he actually said, 'mommy I love you.' That was the first word he said when he started to talk."
But recovery is far from over for baby Denver. One of his feet is still in a cast - so he is unable to walk and he still suffers from recurring headaches.
Keniesha Romero,
"He is doing very well. He is talking now and he can move around, just that his broken leg prevents him from walking and thing but he is doing better. He is still not the same son I used to know because sometimes he talks but he talks like out of his head or something like that, like sometimes he says things that I don't understand and so. He used to talk well and he gives a lot of trouble now, he cries a lot at night, and he tells me that his head hurts him and thing."
The news isn't better for Samantha. The 15 year old cannot return to high school because one of her legs is broken. Even more worrying for Samantha is that she
feels she will never be able to walk again - at least not as she used to.
Samantha Romero, Accident Victim
"I am not able to walk right now. I don't think, to me I feel like I will not be able to walk as how I used to at first, walk around and stuff. I know it will take a while to recover back better. I feel like I will be able to walk but I don't think like, I will be walking as how I used to at first. I have a feeling that my feet are not strong enough. I am not used to these things and I usually took my walks and now like I can't move."
The man of course responsible for all this Minister Marcial Mes and though he has promised to pay the hospital costs - the bill is now at $75,000 and Keniesha says it is mounting.
Keniesha Romero,
"The Minister said that he will pay everything. He was here yesterday with us talking and he said don't worry because he will be responsible for everything. But I told him I have to worry because when I went and checked on the bills, they said the bill wasn't paid yet and he told me that the bill was already paid and he said the bill hasn't been paid yet. So I told him I want to see the bills when he pays them, I want to see the receipts for the bills."
And while the bills are one thing - there is one thing this family wants that Mes cannot buy or pay for - and that is justice.
Keniesha Romero,
"All I want to see is justice to be served because we are a poor family and we need justice to be served, not because of money or anything like that, I just want justice to be served."
Keith Swift,
So him paying the bills isn't good enough, that doesn't satisfy you?
Keniesha Romero,
"No. I believe justice should be served about this."
The hospital bill at Universal is $75,000. There is also an outstanding bill at the KHMH for $8,000. The bill continues to mount because Samantha and Denver receive home visits from their doctors.
