An evening family trip in Alabaster, Alabama, on August 27, 2023, ended in tragedy when an 11-year-old boy, Junior Ulloa, was critically injured after the vehicle he was riding in entered an intersection and was struck broadside around 8:10 p.m. Several other children in the same vehicle were also hurt, with at least one described as severely injured. Junior was taken to Children’s of Alabama in Birmingham and remained in critical condition until Shelby County Coroner Lina Evans confirmed on September 2, 2023, that he had died of his injuries.

Investigators concentrated on the driver of Junior’s vehicle, reported to be his 20-year-old older brother, Eldin Ulloa of the Bessemer area. Following the investigation, Eldin Ulloa was arrested and charged in connection with Junior’s death; reported charges included reckless murder, first-degree assault, reckless endangerment, and multiple counts of third-degree assault tied to the other children’s injuries. No other suspects have been identified.

If anyone has information about the crash, the driver’s actions before the intersection, or the passengers’ seating and restraints that night, please share what is known.