JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A New York man is in custody after allegedly slowing his car to a near stop on Interstate 95 to take a photo of the “Florida Welcomes You” sign, causing a crash that killed his niece and three nephews, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Marvin Redondo-Funes, 25, faces four counts of aggravated manslaughter of a child and driving with a suspended or revoked license resulting in great bodily injury, the Florida Highway Patrol announced Wednesday. The crash occurred in the early hours of July 1 near the Georgia-Florida border.
Authorities say Redondo-Funes slowed his vehicle to just 1 or 2 miles per hour on the highway, which has a posted speed limit of 70 mph. A car traveling behind him crashed into the rear of his vehicle, killing three of the four children on impact. The fourth child was rushed to a hospital but succumbed to injuries two days later.
Investigators revealed that three of the children were not wearing seatbelts, and all four were seated in a back row designed to hold only three passengers. The children’s names have been redacted from official reports.
Redondo-Funes had reportedly driven the children and his girlfriend from New York to Florida for a family vacation. He remains in custody as the investigation continues.
A highway photo stop turned deadly, leaving four young lives lost and a man facing serious charges.