‘He’s a monster’: Man allegedly kills 1-year-old neighbor in hit-and-run, tries to flee to Mexico

PHOENIX (AZFamily/Gray News) - A man is facing charges in Phoenix after he allegedly ran over and killed his 1-year-old neighbor then tried to flee to Mexico.

Shortly before 9 p.m. Sunday, Phoenix Police were called to a crash at a mobile home community. When officers arrived, they found 1-year-old Lupe Morales in critical condition after he had been hit by a truck. He was rushed to the hospital but later died.

Police identified the suspect in the hit-and-run as 35-year-old Carlos Rojas Mora. He is described by prosecutors as Lupe’s neighbor and an undocumented Mexican national.

“I lost my 1-year-old son, and I’ll never be able to get him back,” said Lupe’s mother during Mora’s initial court appearance. “Instead of him staying on scene and taking accountability for his actions, he fled like a coward. I hope you guys do not release this man. He is not even a man; he’s a monster.”

Authorities say no one was watching Lupe when he wandered into the street outside his home and was hit head-on by a truck allegedly driven by Mora. The suspect then got into another vehicle and drove away, according to investigators.

Prosecutors allege Mora went to a friend’s home and asked them to drive him to Mexico, but that friend instead called Goodyear Police to turn Mora in.

Court records say Mora ended up at another friend’s house and was taken into custody early Monday morning after a traffic stop where he was a backseat passenger. He was booked on a charge of hit-and-run involving death.

Mora appeared in front of a judge Monday afternoon. Both of Lupe’s parents addressed the court, sharing their grief over their son’s death.

“It just hurts that he just left him there to die without helping us and trying to flee, and I just want justice for my son,” Lupe’s father said.

Court documents say that after his arrest, Mora told police he fled because he knew Lupe’s father had a gun and feared the father would hurt him. He also reportedly claimed he was on his way to the police station when his friend was pulled over and he was taken into custody.

Mora is being held on a $100,000 cash-only bond.