Temple Hills, MD – September 7, 2019 – The Prince George’s County Police Department is investigating the death of an 8-year-old boy who was riding on an ATV when it flipped in a cul-de-sac in Temple Hills. The victim is Kemel Bonilla-Reyes of Temple Hills.
The Metropolitan Police Department notified the Prince George’s County Police Department of the child’s death on September 3rd after the boy died at Children’s National Medical Center Washington DC. The Prince George’s County Police department was not alerted at the time of the incident nor called to respond to the original incident.
Upon notification from MPD, our preliminary investigation reveals that on September 1st, in the 5000 block of Janice Lane in Temple Hills, a 15-year-old male was driving the ATV with the victim and a second 8-year-old boy riding on it. It appears Bonilla-Reyes was sitting on the gas tank and holding onto the handlebars when, for reasons that remain under investigation, the ATV flipped. A family member then drove Bonilla-Reyes to a hospital in DC. The boy’s injuries required that he be transferred to Children’s National Medical Center where he was later pronounced dead. An autopsy is pending. Detectives recovered and impounded the ATV for further investigation.
Detectives with our Criminal Investigation Division will lead the investigation into the circumstances leading up to and surrounding the incident while our Collision Accident Reconstruction Unit will provide investigative expertise and technical assistance.
“This is a tragic situation. We are going to get to the bottom of what happened and how it happened.These off road vehicles are a danger to the community and, as I have stressed so often, off road vehicles being driven on county roadways are an extreme danger to those riding them, and it is illegal. As we conduct this investigation, we continue to urge all those who ride ATVs to please do so only in a safe and legal manner so we can prevent these types of heartbreaking outcomes in the future,” said Chief Hank Stawinski.
If you have information, please call detectives with our Criminal Investigation Division at 301-772-4925. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may call Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477), or go online at www.pgcrimesolvers.com, or use the “P3 Tips” mobile app (search “P3 Tips” in the Apple Store or Google Play to download the app onto your mobile device.)