Driver who allegedly killed toddler in hit-and-run tried to flee to Mexico because he feared what the child's father would do to him, police say

Published: 22:29, 13 June 2026 | Updated: 22:34, 13 June 2026 An Arizona man accused of killing a toddler in a hit-and-run allegedly tried to flee to Mexico because he feared the child's father, according to court records. Carlos Rojas Mora, 35, of Phoenix was arrested in the early hours of June 8 and charged with hit-and-run involving death or injury after police said 16-month-old Lupe was struck inside a west Phoenix mobile home park, according to court records reviewed by The Arizona Republic. After his arrest, Mora allegedly told investigators he fled because he feared the boy's father, whom he described as hostile and known to carry a firearm. The allegations stem from the death of Lupe, who was found in the roadway shortly before 9pm on June 7 and rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. According to a probable cause statement, the toddler had wandered from his family's yard into the street when he was struck by a vehicle. Investigators allege Mora initially stopped after the collision before fleeing the scene. A witness reportedly saw Mora get out of the driver's seat of the vehicle involved in the crash, police said. Court records state that Mora then ran to a nearby trailer, grabbed his brother's keys and left in a Jeep Grand Cherokee. Carlos Rojas Mora, 35, was arrested after police linked him to a fatal hit-and-run that killed 16-month-old Lupe in a west Phoenix mobile home park Mora allegedly tried to flee to Mexico after the crash because he feared retaliation from the toddler's father, according to newly released court records Authorities allege Mora then sought help from a friend, asking to be driven to Mexico after telling him he was wanted by Phoenix police in connection with the fatal hit-and-run. The friend initially agreed but later decided he no longer wanted to be involved and dropped Mora off before reaching the border, according to court records. Detectives eventually tracked Mora to another location, where undercover officers conducted surveillance before he was arrested during a traffic stop shortly after 2am on June 8. After being advised of his Miranda rights in Spanish, Mora allegedly told investigators he fled because he feared retaliation from Lupe's father, whom he described as hostile and known to carry a firearm. Mora said he had been driving through the mobile home park to get food when neighbors began screaming. He told officers he saw the child, panicked and fled the scene. Mora also claimed he had been on his way to surrender to police when officers stopped the vehicle he was riding in. He was booked into the Maricopa County Jail on one count of hit-and-run involving death or injury, a Class 3 felony. Police said one-year-old Lupe wandered into a roadway inside the mobile home park before he was struck by a vehicle on June 7 Investigators allege Mora stopped after the collision but later fled the scene in a Jeep Grand Cherokee A judge set bond at $100,000 cash only during Mora's initial court appearance. Family members addressed the court during the hearing, pleading with the judge not to release Mora. Lupe's mother described the devastating loss of her son and called for justice. 'I hope you guys do not release that man. He is not even a man. He is a monster. He is a baby killer for doing that, for leaving my dead, bloody baby,' Lupe's mother said in court. His grandfather said the boy was his first grandson and spoke about the experiences the family would never get to share with him. The child's father also addressed the court, saying he just wanted justice for his son. A GoFundMe created by relatives described Lupe as a child 'full of joy and laughter' whose smile could brighten a room. Family and community members gathered for a candlelight vigil on June 8 to remember the toddler. Phoenix police said the Arizona Department of Child Safety had also been notified. The comments below have not been moderated. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.