Mother of missing teen killed in hit-and-run crash desperate for answers
ORLANDO, Fla . - The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) continues to search for the driver of a deadly hit-and-run incident involving a missing teenager.
Vivan Blanco wants to know who hit and killed her son one week ago. It happened on Orange Avenue near Prince Street at 2:30 a.m. on Friday morning. At the time, no one knew it was 19-year-old Anthony Mejias lying on the street.
"This is a person’s life that at least deserved the person to stop and render aid."
Anthony was supposed to have taken a bus back home to South Florida from Tallahassee, but he missed his connection in Orlando.
FOX 35 was there as Vivan searched for days.
"He’s nowhere to be found. That’s why I feel my son is in danger."
Investigators took Anthony to Orlando Regional Medical Center. Because he didn't have any ID on him, he was listed as a "John Doe" under the name Don Hullar.
It breaks Vivan’s heart because she was outside the hospital, the night he went missing.
"The same night, the same night. So I could have seen my son. I could have been with him."
Vivan says she even asked the hospital if he was there.
"They did not receive anyone like that. Straight up, that’s exactly what they said. They looked, no 'John Doe.'"
An Orlando Health spokesperson told us they can’t comment on Anthony’s case due to privacy laws. They released this statement:
"When we receive inquiries from families searching for loved ones, if it’s possible, we take steps to confirm identification and connect families with loved ones, when possible."
Vivian says, "I could have at least held my baby in his last moments."
She was called to the medical examiner's office when FHP made the connection.
"They had heard on the news of this child being missing. So this is the reason why I got a call."
She wants others to know, that they shouldn’t jump to conclusions when a teenager goes missing.
"I feel like everybody had this prejudgement of my son."
She hopes the driver that killed her only son is caught.
)"Having to know he’s not in the picture is very hard. Very, very hard."
Anyone with information regarding the hit and run should call Crimeline at 80-423-TIPS (.