LONG BEACH, California — Monique Boochie had watched her son Jeremiah play outside countless times. The 8-year-old was energetic, full of life, and always moving.
On Saturday afternoon, he was playing with neighborhood kids near Paramount Boulevard and 56th Street — just steps from a local park — when a ball rolled into the road.
Jeremiah went after it.
He never came back.
A Mother Standing at a Memorial, Demanding Answers
By the time Boochie reached the scene, candles, balloons, and flowers were already beginning to form a sidewalk memorial for her son.
Standing there, her grief turned into something louder.
“This is crazy,” she said. “They need a stoplight right here, put speed bumps right here. Why are you flying down this street and both of these apartments are full of kids — anything, anything.”
Long Beach police confirmed the crash happened Saturday afternoon. The driver remained at the scene and fully cooperated with investigators.
Authorities said speed, distracted driving, and impairment are not believed to be contributing factors.
But Boochie finds that hard to accept.
“If you were going 30 miles per hour, I don’t think it would have had an impact like that,” she said.
This Street Has Taken a Child Before
For neighbors, the tragedy carries a painful echo.
In March 2024, a 4-year-old girl was also struck and killed while crossing near the same stretch of Paramount Boulevard. In that crash, investigators also ruled out speed, distraction, and impairment as factors.
Two children. The same street. Less than two years apart.
Residents say that pattern is not a coincidence — it is a warning that has gone unanswered.
The area is dense with apartment complexes and families. Children are always nearby. And yet, neighbors say meaningful safety measures have never arrived.
Long Beach Is Having Its Deadliest Stretch in a Decade
Jeremiah’s death is not an isolated incident. It fits into a deeply troubling trend.
City data shows that 53 people were killed in Long Beach traffic crashes last year — the highest number in a decade. Jeremiah is already the city’s 23rd traffic fatality of this year alone.
Long Beach Police Chief Wally Hebeish called the crash “a heartbreaking reminder of how quickly unexpected tragedies can occur” and stressed the importance of traffic safety awareness.
Eighth District Councilmember Tunua Thrash-Ntuk acknowledged the community’s concerns but asked for patience while the investigation continues.
“Pedestrian and traffic safety matter deeply to the residents of the 8th District and to me,” she said. “But those conversations must come after the investigation, not in the middle of one.”
His Mother Is Not Waiting
For Boochie, the time for patience has passed.
“There needs to be a stop sign right here… cameras… or speed bumps,” she said. “It doesn’t make any sense. Why is it always a kid getting hit or killed right here?”
Her voice is now the loudest in a neighborhood that has grieved too many times on the same block of pavement.
Jeremiah King Hicks was 8 years old. He was playing outside on a Saturday afternoon — the way kids are supposed to.
A ball rolled into the street.
And a community is once again left demanding answers that should have come long ago.
What changes do you think cities should make to protect children near busy roads? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
