The Georgia State Patrol reports that last Wednesday night in Griffin, a four-year-old girl was killed by a car when she attempted to cross a busy street with her mother and six-year-old sister.
The family was lodging in a motel on North Expressway after the apartment complex’s appalling living conditions were denounced by city officials earlier this year.
If they hadn’t been evicted from their house, the little girl’s family believes she would still be alive today.
“That killed all of us,” Clifford Hamilton, the victim’s godfather stated. “She was a lovable child.”
According to Hamilton, the daughter, who was identified as 4-year-old Louise Dunmon, passed away at the scene. Doctors anticipate that her mother and sister, who is six years old, will recover despite their severe injuries.
Cars frequently go at least 60 miles per hour on the busy road, and there was no crosswalk in the area when the tragedy happened. However, Hamilton focused his annoyance on the situation that compelled the family of the young girl to leave their house.
“It would not have happened if we hadn’t got put out,” he stated. “None of this would have happened.”
The Ava Park apartment complex was condemned by Griffin city officials in August for serious problems, such as water leaks, bug and rat infestations, and black mold.
Millennia Housing, the complex’s owner, has been under fire on numerous occasions for poor management at other properties, including as the now-demolished South Atlanta Forest Cove.
Community leader Dr. Yoshunda Jones, who has been advocating for renters at Ava Park, accused Millennia Housing of failing its people.
“If Millennia had been holding up their responsibility to maintain this particular complex, then the complex would not have been condemned, and the families would not have had to move into these hotels,” Dr. Jones stated.
According to multiple published accounts, federal authorities raided the Ohio mansion of the CEO of Millennia Housing two weeks ago.
According to Dr. Jones, the business allegedly agreed to pay hotel expenses for relocated people but didn’t, leaving an unpaid debt of $80,000.
“They skipped out on the hotel bill,” Dr. Jones stated. “They tried to come in and strong-arm the residents into actually paying rent.”
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According to Jones, however, the Georgia Department of Community Affairs intervened to guarantee that displaced families could stay in the hotels while they looked for long-term housing.
Louise’s family, meantime, is struggling with their loss.
Millennia Housing has been under investigation before. The corporation was prohibited from collaborating with the federal government by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in March. HUD issued a warning to the business last year concerning improper use of taxpayer funds and security deposits.
