Woman dies months after being struck by Mass. State Police cruiser in Brookline
An 86-year-old Brookline woman who was struck by a Massachusetts State Police cruiser in January has died, leaving her family with questions about the role the crash played in her death.
Margie Mendez was hit by a state police cruiser around 1:15 p.m. on Jan. 15 at the intersection of Route 9 and Hammond Street in Brookline's Chestnut Hill neighborhood, state police said previously. She died nearly three months later on April 5, according to her obituary .
Shortly after the crash, state police claimed the cruiser "made contact" with Mendez "at a very low speed." She had been running errands when she was hit by a state trooper in the crosswalk, the family's GoFundMe campaign page stated. The collision caused her to fall and hit her head, but she was "conscious and alert" when taken to a hospital for treatment, police said.
However, Mendez's family's said she was in critical condition.
"The impact left her in critical condition with multiple skull fractures, rib fractures, a shattered ankle, a massive brain bleed and traumatic brain injury. She was immediately rushed to the hospital and underwent emergency brain surgery," the campaign page reads.
Two days after the crash, Mendez celebrated her 86th birthday in the ICU.
"Although she wasn't able to blow out her candles, she was surrounded by love on her special day," the campaign page reads.
About three months later, she died.
Investigations into Mendez's death
The Norfolk County District Attorney's Office is still investigating the crash, it said Wednesday. The district attorney's office declined to comment further, citing their ongoing investigation.
Mendez's family is also now seeking answers about her death on their own. They've hired the law firm Morgan & Morgan to investigate the crash.
"We have lost our matriarch, a beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother," the statement reads. "At 86, she was full of energy and always caring for those around her. We are devastated that she has been taken from us before her time, and we want answers as to how this happened. Our family has been left with a void that will never be filled."
Massachusetts State Police did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday afternoon.
"It is early in the process, but we plan to uncover any and all potential negligence that contributed to her injuries and ultimate death, and we will do everything we can to pursue justice for her family," Morgan & Morgan founder John Morgan and attorney Luke Mitcheson said in a statement.
Remembering Margie Mendez
Margie Estelle Mendez was born in Baltimore on Jan. 17, 1939, to Mary Epps and Thomas Campbell. She graduated from Moton High School in Farmville, Virginia in 1957 and moved to Boston the next year.
There, Mendez and her husband, Rafael Mendez, began raising their six children. In the summer of 1977, they moved their family to Brookline, where she lived until her death.
"She passed away surrounded by her loving children and grandchildren," her obituary reads.
Mendez was a bowler, Jimmy Fund walker, Red Sox and Patriots fan and lover of all things sports. She also enjoyed Monday night Bingo, Friday night card games, Saturday night dances with her husband and Scrabble tournaments with her children.
"Margie embodied the caregiver spirit. She would open her home to ailing relatives and dear friends, nursing and supporting them through their recovery," her obituary reads. "When caring for her grandchildren, she would also provide daycare for the children of friends and neighbors. In recent years, Margie's boundless energy and devotion fueled her as the primary caregiver for her husband."
Mendez is survived by her husband of 55 years, six children, two brothers, 17 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and many other beloved friends and relatives, her obituary states.
"All who knew Margie will miss her warm smile, kindness, and giving spirit," her obituary reads.
