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Mother of 2-year-old child struck and killed by truck in October now faces aggravated manslaughter charges

mother of 2-year-old child struck by vehicle in St. Pete arrested
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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The 32-year-old mother of the two-year-old child, who was struck and killed by a pickup truck after walking into the roadway in St. Petersburg in October 2025, now faces a manslaughter charge.

Alejandra Cruz Segundo has been charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child and neglect of a child (great bodily harm) in the incident that killed her 2-year-old son, Damien Alexander Cruz Segundo, on Oct. 29, 2025.

Officials said a Ford F450 driven by a 34-year-old Valrico man was traveling east on 49th Avenue North, west of 80th Street North, when the child entered the vehicle's path.

Authorities said the child had left a nearby home without the parents’ knowledge. The driver was unable to avoid the collision, and the child died from injuries at the scene.

According to the arrest affidavit, authorities said Alejandra allowed her kids to play in the yard next to a roadway unsupervised. Authorities said Alejandra "should have known that leaving young children unsupervised to play outside in the front yard near the roadway could have caused them to get seriously hurt or killed if they entered the roadway and were struck by a vehicle."

TPD chief's memo: Assistant police chief fired over missed meetings, resistance to new firearms

Ruth Cate's claims of discrimination and retribution were determined to be "unfounded" in the city's month-long HR investigation.

TPD Chief's memo: Assistant police chief fired over missed meetings, resistance to new firearms