A Long Beach mother is pleading for urgent street safety improvements after her 8-year-old son was killed on a busy North Long Beach street near a neighborhood park.

Jeremiah King Hicks was struck by a vehicle on Paramount Boulevard near 56th Street Saturday afternoon, according to Long Beach police. Investigators said the driver remained at the scene and cooperated and authorities said speed, distracted driving, and impairment are not believed to be factors in the crash.

But Hicks’ mother, Monique Boochie, questions that conclusion as she mourns the loss of her energetic, vibrant son.

“This is crazy,” Boochie said at a growing memorial near the crash site. “They need a stoplight right here, put speed bumps right here. Why are you flying down this street and both of these apartments are full of kids… (do) anything, anything.”

Boochie said her son had been playing with neighborhood children when a ball rolled into the street.

“He was with two little kids that live in here, and they said the ball went out in the street and he… he went to get the ball,” she said.

Neighbors say the tragedy has reignited long-standing concerns about pedestrian safety along Paramount Boulevard, especially for children.

The crash happened near the same location where a 4-year-old girl was struck and killed in March 2024 while crossing outside of a marked crosswalk. In that case, police also said speed, distraction, and impairment were not believed to be contributing factors.

Boochie remains unconvinced.

“If you were going 30 miles per hour, I don’t think it would have had an impact like that,” she said.

The latest death comes amid a troubling rise in traffic fatalities across Long Beach. City data shows 53 people were killed in traffic crashes last year — the highest total in a decade. Hicks’ death marks the city’s 23rd traffic fatality of this year.

The growing death toll has increased pressure on city leaders and law enforcement to explain what is being done to reverse the trend.

Long Beach Police Chief Wally Hebeish called the incident “a heartbreaking reminder of how quickly unexpected tragedies can occur” and emphasized the importance of roadway safety.

Eighth District Councilmember Tunua Thrash-Ntuk acknowledged community concerns but said policy discussions should wait until investigators complete their review.

“Pedestrian and traffic safety matter deeply to the residents of the 8th District and to me,” Thrash-Ntuk said in a statement. “But those conversations must come after the investigation, not in the middle of one.”

For Hicks’ mother, the call to action is immediate.

“There needs to be a stop sign right here… cameras… or speed bumps,” Boochie said. “It doesn’t make any sense. Why is it always a kid getting hit or killed right here?”