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Mom holds 'Slow down' rally for son hit, killed in Freeburg

"He thought he was good to go and the driver of the SUV wasn't paying attention and ran a red light and hit him," Schmittling said.

FREEBURG, Ill. — An Illinois mom is honoring her son's life, by pushing for change in her small town.

“We just want to raise awareness for people to slow down driving through this town,” said Christina Schmittling.

Schmittling's 14-year-old son Mason was killed while riding his bike across North State Street at North Main Street in Freeburg in September.

“He thought he was good to go and the driver of the SUV wasn't paying attention and ran a red light and hit him,” Schmittling said.

The driver not much older than Mason, police say he was only 16-years-old.

“People need to slow down they need to pay attention,” Schmittling said.

On Wednesday, Schmittling along with dozens of other people got together in memory of Mason. Holding 'Slow Down' signs they walked from Freeburg high school and ended at the site where Mason died.

“The traffic that comes through here is, it's 35 right here but they have to be going about 45.”

But this grieving mom doesn't put the weight of what happened solely on the driver. She says this rally is also about encouraging kids all over to be more alert when crossing the street.

“If he would’ve been a little more cautious about that, that could’ve saved his life, too,” Schmittling said,

5 On Your Side called Freeburg Police, and they say the investigation is still ongoing.

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