WACO, Texas — A Waco woman is mourning the loss of her son after she said he ran out into the street Sunday and was hit by a car.
"He was being a child and it led up to this unfortunate thing," said Alasia Freeman-Rollins.
Freeman-Rollins described it as a "simple night" as she was getting her son Za'hir Johnson, 5, ready for school for the next day when he ran out into the street of the 2500 block of East Lake Shore Drive.
"He didn't know any better," Freeman-Rollins said. "It led up to this unfortunate thing."
The five-year-old had just started kindergarten at the district's Early Childhood Center.
"He was joyful, he was the most misunderstood but understood boy," Freeman-Rollins said. "I would get calls about him pretending to chop a classmate's leg in half and I would have to tell them he doesn't want to fight he just watches the Ninja Turtles a lot."
Freeman-Rollins called her son "energetic" and a "light."
"I'm not doing good, I'm just trying to make it and this is never going to be ok," Freeman-Rollins said. Adding that she wants to tell the driver that it's not his fault.
"He stayed and comforted my baby and I forgive him," Freeman-Rollins said. "I don't want him to hold the weight over his head it's not his fault."
The family held a funeral for Za'hir on Wednesday.
Freeman-Rollins said Johnson's cause of death was a traumatic brain injury. She also praised the work of the doctors at the McLane Children's Hospital for attempting to save his life.
"He was a joyful spirit," Freeman-Rollins said. "I don't wish this on a soul, whoever's been through this I pray for you and your sanity this is a different hurt."