Kiara Darvonne Bowling, 31, is responding to basic commands after suffering multiple brain injuries when she was struck by a car driven by two young brothers in Oakland.
Bowling was struck around 9:15 a.m. Thursday while walking a friend’s emotional support dog, Grizzly, near 35th and Mangels avenues, close to Interstate 580 in East Oakland.
The boys, ages 6 and 4, apparently took their family’s car while their parents were sleeping before crashing into Bowling, who was walking a friend’s dog.
Surveillance footage showed Bowling stepping off the curb moments before a white Toyota Camry, driven in tandem by two brothers, ages 6 and 4, sideswiped an oncoming vehicle.
The collision sent the Camry straight into Bowling, who was struck off-camera.
“She’s currently still fighting extremely hard for her life,” said her sister, Christina Blackmon. “She is currently suffering from multiple brain bleeds and facial fractures.
Bowling remained hospitalized at Highland Hospital in Oakland, where doctors planned multiple surgeries in the coming days.
“I just found out she has blood on her brain. She has to probably get two surgeries,” said Princess Davis, Bowling’s cousin.
“She did some commands that they asked her to do, so she was responding,” Gwendoline said.
Kiara’s bosses at Aurora Catering, Dawn and Martin Deardorff, also visited her at the hospital. “It’s powerful when you see this beautiful person just swollen from the damage to her face and her body,” Martin Deardorff said.
The dog was injured in the crash but ran off. Grizzly was later found and taken to a veterinarian.
“There is no ill will,” Blackmon said. “We all know children do not know how to operate a vehicle.”
“I don’t hold any animosity,” Bowling’s aunt, Karon Markham, said. “When you have young children, you should always be present, because young children are going to try anything and everything.
She is in her final semester at California State University, East Bay, in Hayward and recently completed an online pre-law program through Harvard Law School.
Bowling was crowned Ms. Greater Bay Area at the California Regency International Pageant last year.
More than $31,000 has been raised on a GoFundMe for her medical expenses and ongoing treatment.
A source close to the boys’ family said the 6-year-old apparently found the keys to the family Toyota Camry in his father’s pockets while his parents were sleeping.
Their uncle, Ali, said the 7-year-old suffered two broken legs, while the 4-year-old sustained a concussion.
“The older one was looking for his little brother. Asking about his little brother, ‘Where’s my little brother? Is he okay?'” Ali said.
In the viral moment that exposed the devastating consequences of an unsupervised moment, the two young brothers took their father’s Toyota Camry keys from his pocket while he slept at their home in East Oakland on Thursday morning.
They got behind the wheel and drove at high speed down 35th Avenue, sideswiping an oncoming vehicle before barreling into the crosswalk where Bowling stood with Grizzly.
KTVU legal analyst Michael Cardoza said that while the young boys are unlikely to face charges, their parents could face legal scrutiny, including potential criminal charges for child neglect and civil liability.
Police said the children’s parents are cooperating with the investigation.