Family remembers 10-year-old killed in Clayton County hit-and-run

Mother loses second child this year after devastating hit-and-run

Brandi Jackson is devastated after her 10-year-old son was killed in a hit-and-run just 9 months after losing her infant daughter to SIDS. We break down the police investigation to catch the driver and how you can help support the family to hold a memorial for 10-year-old Khaled.

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. - A 10-year-old boy was killed in a hit-and-run crash in Clayton County just days after Christmas, and the driver accused of striking him has now been arrested.

What we know:

The crash happened just after 9 p.m. Sunday at the intersection of Riverdale Road and Garden Walk Boulevard. Family members said Khaleb Jackson was crossing the street with his older brother and cousins on their way to a bus stop when a vehicle struck him and fled the scene. Khaleb was rushed to a local hospital, but he did not survive his injuries.

According to the Clayton County Police Department, a witness followed the vehicle and was able to provide investigators with a tag number. Hours later, police arrested David Blanchard, who is now charged with homicide by vehicle and hit-and-run.

What they're saying:

Khaleb’s family described him as joyful and full of life. 

"He would just walk in the room and just randomly start dancing," his mother said. 

His aunt, Belinda Pittmon, said the loss is especially painful after the family recently celebrated Christmas together. 

"You see this kind of stuff on TV, but then when it hits your family, you be like, how can somebody hit a child, any person, but especially a child, and leave that child just laying there not knowing whether or not the child is alive or, you know, gone," she said.

"He was just my heart. I ran around Christmas trying to get him everything he wanted. He basically wanted an iPhone. So I got him the iPhone. He called me and said Aunt Belinda thank you, thank you so much. He was just so appreciative of whatever we gave him," Patton told FOX 5 Atlanta.

The family said this is another devastating loss, coming just nine months after Khaleb’s infant sister died of SIDS or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. 

What you can do:

A GoFundMe has been created to help with funeral expenses.