‘Shouldn’t have died that way:’ A mom and dad want answers in Miami hit-and-run tragedy
Corinne Avenet held a photo of a young woman smiling. Her hands trembled as she spoke.
“This is Justine, our beloved daughter,” she said. “She came here to work from France. She was a lovely, lovely little girl who was always ready to experience anything. She loved her life here.”
Corinne is the mother of Justine Avenet, a 24-yearold woman who was killed in a hit-and-run in Edgewater on Sunday.
Avenet, who was a marketing coordinator for Hermès, loved sports, her mother said. Now, her family, including her brothers, are grieving her death.
Avenet was pedaling her bicycle south on Biscayne Boulevard approaching Northeast 22nd Street when a car hit her from behind. The driver, police say, left without stopping to help her. Miami paramedics arrived at around 3:15 a.m. but Avenet died on the street.
Miami police detective Marvin Lopez said Avenet was struck by a darkcolored 2018 to 2021 Nissan Pathfinder. The SUV’s front bumper was ripped off, the windshield damaged on the right side, the right headlight shattered.
Through surveillance video from nearby businesses, Miami police tracked where the vehicle ended up Sunday near Northeast Miami Court and 15th Street, Lopez said. The department is now trying to locate the SUV.
The video is not being released yet, Lopez said.
As Corinne pleaded for the driver and witnesses to come forward, sadness showed in her eyes. Her husband, Guillaume Avenet, wrapped his arm around her shoulder. He remained quiet.
“We are begging you, please. Help us out here,” Corinne said. “She shouldn’t have died that way.”
Anyone with information about the crash should call Miami Police Department at 305-603-6525 and ask for Detective Lopez or any on-duty detective. To provide an anonymous tip, contact Crime Stoppers by phone at 305-471-TIPS (8477) or online at crimestoppers305.com.