Mother of Child Hit By Bus: “I'm Not a Bad Mom”

The mother of a 19-month-old girl hit and killed by a CTA bus on Memorial Day is wants the public to know that she's not a bad mom.

Cherish Meyers died after she ran into traffic Monday afternoon in the 7700 block of South South Shore Drive and was hit by the No. 6 Jackson Park Express bus.

The girl's mother, Latasha Upshaw, spoke with NBC 5 at a vigil held for the child Tuesday evening. She says she left Cherish with a neighbor for a moment when the accident occurred.

"I left for a second just to retrieve her bike. I thought she was with people who were keeping an eye on her," Upshaw said. "This neighbor, I don't want to bash her either because she was a friend of me, I'm not going to say she's not a friend. This is killing her now and I don't even know how to talk to her, I just want her to know, Samantha, I don't blame you, I just can't ... I just can't."

The driver of the CTA bus tried to swerve to avoid hitting the young girl but was unable to do so, police said. The girl was pronounced dead at the scene.

"This was never supposed to have happened. I love my kids, I would give my soul if I could just see that little baby again right now. I'ts heartbreaking to watch the news and I'm pegged to be a bad mom. I'm not her. I'm not that lady," Upshaw said.

According to a witness at the scene, the girl had run out on to the street earlier, but a woman grabbed her, and the accident occured the second time it happened.

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