Police say the child was struck near J.E. Jones Elementary on Oct. 28 and later returned to school.
CUDAHY, Wis. — An 89-year-old Milwaukee woman has been charged with hit-and-run causing injury after a 9-year-old girl was struck in a crosswalk near a Cudahy elementary school the morning of Oct. 28, and the driver left the scene, according to police and prosecutors.
Officials said the charge follows a weeks-long review of body camera footage, witness accounts and damage to a sedan found near the scene. Prosecutors identified the driver as Darlene Adam. The girl was hit shortly after 8 a.m. near East Ramsey and South Swift avenues as students walked to J.E. Jones Elementary. She suffered a concussion and other injuries but was able to return to school days later. The case has renewed attention on student safety at busy pickup and drop-off intersections in Milwaukee County as winter approaches and daylight hours shrink.
Police said the collision happened as a crossing guard stepped into the intersection to halt traffic. Witnesses told officers a midsize car “blew the stop sign,” struck the child and continued through. Officers arrived to find the girl on the pavement and Good Samaritans rendering aid. A relative said the child briefly seemed confused and asked if she was dreaming. Investigators canvassed nearby streets and, minutes later, located a damaged silver sedan parked outside a medical facility a short distance from the school. In a recorded conversation with officers, the driver said she thought her car had struck a rock or a construction barrel. “I’m giving up my license,” she later told a reporter through her door, adding that she did not see the child, according to the station’s interview.
Authorities identified the driver as Adam, of Milwaukee, and said surveillance images and the car’s cracked windshield and front-end damage were consistent with debris recovered at the scene. The intersection where the crash occurred is controlled by multiple stop signs, neighbors said, but residents have long complained that some motorists roll through during the morning rush. The child’s family said she turned 10 the day before returning to class on Nov. 4 and is recovering from bruises and a concussion. Police said the driver was briefly detained, photographed and released pending charging, a routine step in non-felony traffic cases that do not require bail under local procedures. The department said toxicology was requested as part of the investigation; results were not immediately released.
City and school officials said they are reviewing crossing procedures outside J.E. Jones Elementary. The district said student safety remains the highest priority and that it is working with Cudahy police on any needed adjustments. Neighbors who live near Ramsey and Swift described frequent rolling stops and poor visibility during dark morning hours in late fall. Public records show Wisconsin requires drivers 65 and older to renew in person every eight years, but there is no automatic road test tied to age. Advocates for older adults cautioned against blanket assumptions about senior drivers and urged families to monitor signs of declining ability, while emphasizing that independence and safety both matter.
Prosecutors filed one count of hit-and-run causing injury against Adam. The maximum penalty listed in charging documents is up to nine months in jail. An initial appearance is scheduled for Dec. 18 in Milwaukee County. Police said they will continue to gather any additional witness statements and review available video. Officials said any further charges would depend on medical updates and evidence. Court records did not immediately list an attorney for Adam. The hospital noted by police declined to comment on patient matters, citing privacy rules.
Outside the school this week, parents lingered a little longer at drop-off, and a crossing guard held a damaged handheld stop sign leaned against a post. “People need to slow down,” said Jumoka Johnson, the girl’s uncle. A neighbor who has lived on the corner more than 20 years said drivers “blow the stop sign” more often than not during busy times. Lauren O’Desky, who works with older adults and their families, said conversations about giving up keys are difficult but happen every day. “The goal is to maintain independence and keep everyone safe,” O’Desky said.
The girl is recovering at home and has resumed classes, her family said. Police said the case remains open pending the Dec. 18 court date and any additional evidence.
Author note: Last updated November 18, 2025.