Not long after her 16-year-old son was struck and killed as he crossed a street in Jacksonville, Florida, Connie Cole learned that the young driver had posted a photo of the boy's body on Twitter.
"Who does that? You have to be some type of monster," Cole told local NBC affiliate WTLV.
The distraught mother said the 19-year-old driver should be charged with a crime, and should have been tested for drugs or alcohol after killing her son, Trevius Williams.
But the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office told WTLV there was no sign the driver was impaired, and that he cooperated with officers at the scene.
A spokeswoman added that the case is still under investigation, however.
Williams was hit about 8:40 p.m. Sunday while crossing Lem Turner Road. Cole said he was running out to get a loaf of bread.
The boy was taken to the hospital, but by the time Cole arrived, her son was dead.
Later, Cole's niece alerted her that pictures of Williams' body had been posted on Twitter by someone who added the comment, "I jus killed a man," and "RIP."
The same person had posted on Twitter before the accident a reference to drinking "lean," slang for a cocktail of cough syrup and soda.
The posts have since been deleted.
"I’m angry because detectives told me that there was no alcohol or drugs involved," said Cole, who has two other children. "Well, how would you know if it wasn’t tested?"
Police confirmed to WTLV that the 19-year-old driver posted the picture and comments. But they said the reference to "lean" was from the lyrics of a song.
Now Cole is struggling to come up with the money for her son's funeral.
"I don’t even want to go back home," Cole said, tears rolling down her cheeks. "I gotta pack up his clothes. I gotta give away his shoes. My son is never coming back."
