Student recovering from wreck
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on March 4, 2004 2:01 PM
Living arrangements are still uncertain for a fifth-grade Spring Creek Elementary School student who was the sole survivor in a car crash that claimed her parents and two younger sisters nearly two weeks ago.
For now, the determining factor keeping her in Wayne County is that she continues to require medical attention.
Sandra Reynoso, 12, is living with a great-aunt near Mount Olive and plans to remain in the area at least until the end of the school year. The school system will provide tutoring at home until she is physically able to return to school.
The accident happened on Saturday, Feb. 21, as the family set out on a shopping trip. Parents Alfonzo Reynoso, 37, and Alfonsina Maldonado, 30, along with daughters Blanca, 8, and Alejandra, 7, all died in the crash.
Sandra received a broken leg, broken jaw, and some internal injuries and was hospitalized at Wayne Memorial Hospital. Funeral services for the family were held Feb. 27, and the family's remains were taken to Texas.
Social workers initially worked to decide whether Sandra would stay with her pastor's family or return to Texas with her grandmother. Since she still has staples in her leg and her jaw is wired shut, the decision was made to keep her near the hospital.
Jeanette Walters is an English-as-a-second-language teacher at the school and taught the younger siblings who died. She said that Sandra's teachers are staying in contact by phone and visiting occasionally.
"She's in good spirits, all things considered," she said. "She's a very conscientious child. She wants to get her work and get busy again, which will probably be good therapy for her.
"She's anxious to get back to school. When the doctors say she can, she will be back."