Mom reunites with family that tried to save her and her son following deadly DUI crash

TAVARES, Fla. - The Florida Highway Patrol says a man accused of hitting and killing a five-year-old boy in Lake County over the weekend will now be facing manslaughter charges.

Daksh Wadhwa is also charged with DUI, cocaine possession, and for bringing contraband into jail. 

Wadhwa had originally been let out of jail on a $3000 bond – an amount that infuriated people for how low it seemed. 

Since the five-year-old boy hit and killed in the crash has now passed away, the charges have been upgraded. That came as a relief to the mother of the boy killed, Kaitlin, who says she’s been thinking about how she could have run into Wadhwa while he was out of jail.

But she says the news doesn’t really serve as much of a comfort. 

"Mentally, like, yeah, we got him, he’s in there. But that’s not going to bring my boy back, you know?"

Kaitlin is still recovering from her physical wounds, along with the wound of losing her five-year-old-son, Grayson.

"He was the sweetest thing," she said. "The goofiest little boy. He was obsessed with cars and dirt bikes and road blocks, and it’s honestly not fair that we had to lose something so perfect."

The one comfort the grieving mother did have Tuesday was the chance to meet a family who’d stopped after seeing the car crash, rushing out to try to help.

A woman named Shelley had run over to wrap Grayson in a blanket and hold him.

"I didn’t even know his name, but I was just telling him that he’s not alone, we’re getting help for him, he’s going to be okay," Shelley told FOX 35 News. "The family keeps telling me thank you, but I don’t need thanks. I am humbled by him."

Meanwhile, Shelley’s daughter Bethany Craney did what she could to help Kaitlin, who was pinned inside her vehicle.

Bethany Craney speaking with Kaitlin as she was pinned inside her vehicle

Bethany also ran out trying to get help.

"It took us screaming our heads off, telling people that there was a little boy for people to stop, for people to listen," said Bethany.

Also on the list of people who didn’t help, the family says, was Wadhwa. 

"He stood at his car and did not want to help or say a word to any of us. As he watched us try to find this little boy, try to help the mother, and try to save that little boy. He did nothing," Bethany described.

Kaitlin says she knows the man officers say killed her son.  She and Wadhwa were in the same graduating class at Tavares High School. 

She says she was surprised to learn he still has a license after seeing the list of traffic crimes he’s been convicted of. He has nine speeding tickets still on his record, plus two others that were dismissed, along with another conviction for careless driving. This was Wadhwa’s first DUI.

"I really want everyone to advocate to their friends and family not to drink and drive. It’s not fair. Just one stupid decision can ruin an entire family. It’s not worth it, I promise," the grieving mother choked out through tears.

Kaitlin has another older son she still has to care for. She's also recovering from bad wounds to her face and several bruises across her body.

The family chose to donate Grayson's organs. They said all were viable and they don't thing they couldn't get themselves to donate were his corneas - his nickname had been Peepers because of his bright blue irises peeking through as he opened his eyes when he was a baby. The family couldn't bear thinking of them on anyone else.