Man who pled guilty to causing death of 8-year-old Philadelphia boy sentenced to 15 years in prison

Man convicted in drunk driving crash that killed 8-year-old sentenced

A grieving mother continues to speak out nearly two years after her 8-year-old song was killed by a drunk driver and Tuesday the family watched as the man accused was sentenced.

PHILADELPHIA - A grieving mother continues to speak out nearly two years after her 8-year-old son was killed by a drunk driver. The family watched as the man accused was sentenced to 15 years behind bars.

What we know:

The sentencing comes after Edward Johnston pled guilty to causing the death of then 8-year-old Javier Velez. The deadly crash happened July 23rd of 2023.

Johnston was speeding and driving drunk when he went off the road on White Horse Pike in Absecon and hit the car Javi was sleeping in while his father Orlando and younger brother Jerry packed up from a father-son fishing trip.

What they're saying:

"I feel like definitely like a sense of release, but I also feel like what now? Now that the fight is over, what now," asked Kaylah Smith. FOX 29’s Shawnette Wilson talked to her at her Philadelphia home where she sat with her son’s ashes next to her. She was in court Tuesday morning for the sentencing.

"It was the best feeling ever to see him get cuffed and walked away like that. It was the best feeling not to see him walk out with his family again," she said.

Edward Johnston had mostly remained free through the court process.

Smith says he read a statement to the family.

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'He made us a family': Vigil held for Logan boy killed on fishing trip with father, younger brother

The Logan community is wrapping their arms around a family who lost their 8-year-old son and brother when a driver plowed into their parked car. A vigil was held Wednesday night as the parents shared memories of Javier Velez.

"He was just saying like, ‘I know that you're going to hate me forever and I don't blame you and I'm sorry and I can't imagine the pain,’ that he's caused. Just regular stuff that someone like that would say in that situation. So, it really was nothing special or sympathetic or something I felt came from his heart," said Smith.

Tuesday is a victory for the family who fought fiercely for justice for Javi but they live with eternal sadness.

"Now we're still left with a hole in our heart, now we're still left with all of these mixed emotions and we're still left grieving and we're still left without a child," said Smith. She and Javi’s dad Orlando spoke before the judge handed down the sentence.

It’s a moment she says they have waited a year and nine months for and it is a message not only to Johnston but to others who drink and drive.

"Next time you think about getting behind that wheel drunk, just know that you might hurt someone's child that is prepared to go to war to make sure that you get put in jail, to make sure you get the worst and that they change laws," said Smith.