A middle school student was recently struck by a car in front of her middle school in Central Square, New York. After sustaining life threatening injuries, the girl, Aunamarie Mahnken, was taken to the hospital. Later, police identified the driver of the car that hit the girl.
Days after the girl was hit, she died from her injuries. Her family released an obituary, praising the girl and highlighting her personality and aspirations. Now, her death is causing locals to call for traffic reform in the area.
A car hit Aunamarie Mahnken during dismissal from Central Square Middle School on the afternoon of March 31, 2025, outlets reported. She was crossing US Route 11 while leaving school, and the driver didn’t see her.
She was taken to hospital following the crash.
According to Syracuse.com, state troopers responded to the accident around 2:44 p.m. Aunamarie was taken to Upstate University Hospital. She remained in critical condition. State police did not charge the driver, 22-year-old Tyler Anthony Hanlon. He cooperated with the investigation.
At the time of the incident, Superintendent Thomas J. Colabufo said that multiple students saw what happened. He provided counseling for those affected.
Her family remembered her as a sweet girl who wanted a career in the beauty field.
Aunamarie’s family wrote an obituary for her. The family asked those coming to her funeral to wear purple, which was her favorite color. “Aunamarie’s vibrant smile and brave spirit has touched so many lives both far and wide,” the obituary reads. “She will be forever remembered by her community,” they said, adding that her organs will be donated.
“To know Auna was to love her sweet and sassy self, her bright, colorful soul, and her kind heart,” the obituary said. “She loved to make art, watch Tik Tok, and paint gel nail sets. She had a natural talent and began making press on sets for others.”
Aunamarie had an interest in cosmetology, and she wanted to be an esthetician one day. “She was colorful, spunky, and known to always be listening to music or dancing. She was smart, she was creative, and she was beautiful inside and out.”
The community hopes this will bring about change to make the roads safer.
Since Aunamarie’s death, people are talking about the need for better traffic protocols in the area. “There doesn’t seem to be the desire to travel slowly up and down Route 11 on this stretch,” Susan Bonnet, office manager at Bonnet Sales & Service, told Spectrum News. Her business is across the street from Aunamarie’s school.
“We’re not the only school that I’m sure these things happened with. This happens with buses and people flying by past the bus when you see kids. This goes probably so much deeper than this specific incident,” Bonnet said.
“This is a school zone, a school zone, and those kids over there need to be kept safe.”
