City Closes Bushwick Parking Lot Where 4-Year-Old Was Killed

BUSHWICK – The Bushwick laundromat parking lot where a 4-year old girl was fatally struck by a car has been ordered closed by the city, according to reports.

Department of Buildings officials ordered Clean City Laundry to remove the parking lot at 82 Wyckoff Ave. after Luz Gonzalez lost her life last month, the Daily News reported.

Gonzalez’ death sparked outrage in the community, especially after the 2018 Nissan Rogue driver who hit Gonzalez and sped away was not charged with a crime.

The city responded on Friday by ordering laundromat owners to paint over the slots and install a barricade to stop drivers from parking there, the Daily News reported.

“We have had no problems with the parking lot before,” Clean City owner Kenneth Liu told the Daily News.

“I really feel sorry about what happened to the little girl, but now we have to pay for this.”

Gonzalez was killed on June 24, her father’s birthday, when the little girl lost her shoe and her mother knelt down to retie it, the family said.

Gonzalez suffered severe trauma to her chest and died in Wyckoff Hospital, where her mother 39-year-old Reyna Candia, was treated for cuts on her leg.

"I want justice for my daughter's loss," said Candia, during a rally to demand the city press charges against the Nissan driver and shut down the laundromat parking lot.

The girl’s father, Juan Gonzalez, added, “I want to prevent another child from getting killed."

Photos by Kathleen Culliton