4-year-old dies after ATV crash

ROSWELL, N.M. (KRQE) - An ATV ride for three young girls ended with a 4-year-old dead and police say the girl's 8-year-old sister was the driver.

Roswell residents say it's not uncommon for parents to let their kids drive ATVs on the rural plains and in this case, the girls were not wearing helmets.

Two families were spending an evening together Friday on Oasis Road in Chaves County when their three young girls went for a ride on the family's four-wheeler next to the home.

However, when Lorenzo Castillo spotted his 7-year-old sister walking home, he knew something was wrong.

"I saw the little girls coming and they weren't on the four-wheeler, so I asked them what was wrong, and they wouldn't answer me," Castillo recalled. "So when they got closer, my little sister just started crying and I saw that she was bleeding on the side (of her head)."

His sister's 8-year-old friend had been driving the ATV, while the driver's 4-year-old sister sat in the middle. Castillo's sister rode in the back.

Castillo said the family often rides around the open field, but on this day, the 8-year-old lost control and flipped. He said the girls made it to the tree next to the front door when 4-year-old Ravae Holloway collapsed.

"The little girl was walking on the way over here, but by the time she got here she was really pale, blue, out of breath," recalled Castillo.

Holloway was revived and rushed to the hospital where she later passed away.

"She was crying and moving around and everything, I thought she was going to be okay," said Castillo.

Both families knew the girls were out riding, and were not wearing helmets.

"We determined that base on what we can see and find right now, that lack of supervision was a factor and lack of safety equipment was also a factor," said New Mexico State Police Sergeant Lawrence Murray.

Those close to the family told KRQE News 13 parents were nearby, and that Holloway's father, a local firefighter, stayed with his four-year-old daughter from the accident scene to the hospital.

Castillo's sister, the 7-year old passenger, suffered minor injuries. The 8-year-old driver was uninjured.

Sgt. Murray said he feels for the Holloways.

"It involves a firefighter's daughter, and that community is very tight, and everybody is affected by it, but hopefully with everybody's help the family will get through it," Sgt. Murray said.

State law states ATV riders under the age of 18 should have a safety permit, must be supervised and must be wearing helmets, but if the accident happened on private land, Sgt. Murray said State Police has no authority in this case.

Whether the accident happened on private land is still under investigation, but Sgt. Murray said at this point, it appears to be a private property dirt road.

State Police hopes this accident will remind others to think about safety and kids on ATVs.