Family of young girl killed in Arcadia day care crash speaks out, driver held on $200K bond

An 18-year-old woman accused of crashing into an Arcadia day care’s playground, injuring one child and killing 4-year-old Maleena Valdez is being held on $200,000 bond.

Kiara Morant was arrested in Lee County last week and transported to DeSoto County on Monday to face two counts of driving without a license causing serious injury or death.

Morant is accused of crashing her vehicle into the Imagination Station Learning Center as she drove on State Road 70. Maleena and a second child were struck as they played.

A judge in DeSoto County on Tuesday set bond to $100,000 per count based on an elevated risk to the community and the serious nature of the crime.

The entire Arcadia community has rallied around Maleena’s family since the tragedy.

“I just think of the good memories and the videos and the laughs like she did, oh my goodness, that girl was so much,” said Savannah, Maleena’s mother.

Maleena’s family said they believe the judge should have held Morant without bond.

Her grandmother, Josephine, said she was “very disappointed in the system.”

“She was being careless,” Savannah said. “Either way it goes, come on you’re 18 years old, you don’t have a license. Like you’re being really careless and you took my baby’s life away and now I’m not even going to get to watch her grow up.”

Josephine and Savannah said they are upset there weren’t more precautions at the day care.

“I really thought my daughter was safe there, you know,” Savannah said. “She’s been there for almost a year. She was going to graduate and they got all that stuff donated and you know it took for my daughter to lose her life.”

The family said they will continue to fight for Maleena.