A Meriden teen has died from his injuries after police say his foster father was driving drunk and crashed the car they were in, and now his loved ones are trying to come to terms with the loss.
Seventeen-year-old Alex Medina died Thursday after fighting for his life for four days. His foster father, 65-year-old James Bailey was arrested after the crash Monday.
The teen’s love ones say they are looking for justice.
Those who knew Alex Medina said he’d been through a lot in his short life, but he was looking forward to his future, like trying out for Maloney High School’s basketball team.
At a vigil Friday night, friends and family gathered to remember the little things.
“This is his hat. I remember him giving me this hat and not even last week, he’s like, ‘you still got that hat I gave you?’ and I’m like of course. Why would I give it away you gave it to me," his half-brother Josue Medina Jr., said.
Friends and family members of 17-year-old Alex Medina gathered to remember those little moments again.
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“Even growing up. Like several homes. We would always go pick up Alex," Josue explained.
Josue said Alex been living with this foster family for almost a year now.
Meriden police say Alex’s foster father failed a field sobriety test at the scene of the crash near Baldwin’s Pond, his blood alcohol level 1.5 times the legal limit Monday morning.
Police say Bailey hit two telephone poles on North Wall Street. Medina wasn’t wearing a seat belt in the backseat and was thrown from the SUV.
“I hope and pray that we get justice and that guy gets what he deserves.”
As Meriden Police and the state Department of Children and Families investigate the crash that took Medina’s life, loved ones shared memories they made with him that they will cherish forever.
“He was always just the sweetest softest kid. I remember him being little me and my other brother. We’d come here and we used have to have snowball fights and stuff.”
In a statement, DCF said to fulfill their obligation to Alex's memory and all the other kids they serve they are reviewing their involvement and his placement in the foster home.
Bailey is due in court later this month.
