Friends and relatives prepared for a candlelight vigil after the 4-year-old was killed in a driveway accident.
APOPKA, Fla. — Grief spread through an Apopka neighborhood and beyond this week after 4-year-old Kamaria Simmons died in a driveway crash, prompting a continuing state investigation and a community vigil planned for Saturday evening.
Florida Highway Patrol said Kamaria was struck about 7:14 p.m. Wednesday, April 1, after a 2018 Chevrolet Traverse moved forward in a private driveway near Robinson Avenue and 13th Street. Investigators said the SUV was being driven by her 37-year-old mother, who did not realize the girl was standing beside the right rear passenger door. Kamaria later died at Arnold Palmer Hospital. The immediate public focus has since shifted from the crash scene to the family’s loss and the community’s response.
By the next day, relatives had returned to the home where the crash happened. Her father shared photos of Kamaria with local reporters and described a little girl remembered by family members as playful and full of energy. State investigators said the mother remained at the scene and was not injured. The Orange County Medical Examiner’s Office later said Kamaria died from blunt force injuries to the head and ruled the death an accident. That finding answered one major question in the case, but it did not end the official review. Florida Highway Patrol has said its traffic homicide investigation is still active.
Kamaria’s death also rippled into nearby Ocoee, where support gathered around her family through local sports connections. Reports said her older brother, Makah Simmons, is a player on Ocoee High’s baseball team. Messages of support began circulating as friends, alumni and parents shared plans to stand with the family. Organizers said the response had been immediate and emotional, with offers of rides and help for people who wanted to attend the remembrance. The public tone of those efforts has been less about official statements and more about preserving the memory of a child whose life ended suddenly in a place tied to home and routine.
Authorities have released only a narrow account of the crash itself. Troopers said Kamaria was standing next to the SUV before it moved in an easterly direction, causing her to fall and be struck. Beyond that, investigators have not said who else was outside at the time, whether any witnesses gave detailed statements, or how long the family had been in the driveway before the vehicle moved. They also have not announced any criminal charge or indicated that one is imminent. For now, the state’s description remains that of a fatal accident under formal review.
What is known is that Kamaria was one of five children and had dreams her family could describe in simple, aching detail. Her father told local television that she wanted to become a ballerina, a line that has come to define much of the public remembrance around her. That detail, small and specific, has given shape to community tributes that might otherwise read as standard expressions of sympathy. Instead, they have centered on a child with a name, a family, siblings and plans that stopped on an ordinary weeknight.
The next step in the story is both procedural and personal. Troopers still must complete their investigation and issue any final findings. At the same time, family and friends are scheduled to gather for a candlelight vigil at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, April 4, at 1160 Robinson St. in Apopka. That event is expected to become the clearest public measure yet of how widely the loss has been felt. Until then, officials say the case remains open, while the family’s mourning continues in full view of a community preparing to remember Kamaria together.
Author note: Last updated April 4, 2026.