INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis family has endured another day without answers about who killed their loved one.
Eleven-year-old Kyson Beatty was hit by a car and left for dead over the weekend.
It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Hundreds of people standing at the corner of Tibbs Avenue and Wicker Road on Tuesday night, gathered for a vigil to remember Kyson, who was struck and killed there Saturday afternoon.
Kyson’s maternal grandmother was among those releasing balloons into the night sky,
“We’re not supposed to bury our kids or our grandchildren," said Sonia Tarter, crying through a grief that seemed almost unbearable. They should be burying us.”
Kyson’s family was supposed to be wrapping the Christmas presents they bought for him. Instead, they’re planning his funeral.
“I don’t even want to think about Christmas,” Sonia said between quiet sobs.
“He had big plans in his future, and we were all cheated out of that and getting to see him in life and getting to see what he’s going to accomplish and what he’s going to do,” said Mark Tarter, Kyson’s grandfather.
Police said the driver of the truck that hit the sixth grader never stopped. Investigators have located the truck, but not the driver.
“I can never understand the heart of someone that could hit a kid and keep driving,” said Sonia.
According to investigators, Kyson was riding a small motorcycle from a friend's house in Whispering Falls, on his way to his Southern Dunes neighborhood home when he was hit.
At Tuesday’s vigil, the boy with the big smile was remembered for the lives he touched, even as his life was cut so short so unexpectedly.
“He always wanted people to be happy. If you were sad, he would make you laugh,” said Sonia.
Now there are only tears over losing Kyson, while all those who are shedding them pray police can find the person who hit him.
“We should still have our grandson here today,” said Mark.
Kyson Beatty’s funeral is set for next Monday.