A 12-year-old girl from New York died just days after she was struck by a vehicle outside her middle school, sparking grief, outrage, and growing calls for better traffic safety in the area.
On May 16, 2025, Ashley Bratcher shared a heartbreaking Facebook post of her daughter Aunamarie Mankhen, wishing her a happy heavenly birthday.
The post included the very first and very last pictures taken of Aunamarie.
“13…You would have been 13 years old today…This was the last picture you took before you got on the bus the day of your accident and the first picture I ever took of you. Auna I miss you so f***ing much…nothing will ever fill the hole in my heart,” the grieving mother shared in her tribute to the young girl who will forever be 12.
“I wish I could hug you one last time and I can’t wait for the day I get to hold you in my arms again…Happy Birthday baby girl. Mommy loves you forever and always,” she continued.
Struck by car near school
Less than two months before her birthday, on March 31, 2025, Aunamarie was struck by a car as she was leaving Central Square Middle School when she attempted to cross U.S. Route 11 – a busy road that runs directly in front of the school. Classes had just let out, and traffic was heavy.
According to New York State Police, she was hit by a vehicle driven by 22-year-old Tyler Anthony Hanlon. He remained at the scene and cooperated with law enforcement. Troopers responded to the scene at approximately 2:44 p.m., and Aunamarie was rushed to Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse in critical condition.
Despite the efforts of medical teams, Aunamarie died from her injuries on April 3.
‘Sweet and sassy’
In a heartfelt obituary, her family remembered her as a bright and creative girl with big dreams.
“To know Auna was to love her sweet and sassy self, her bright, colorful soul, and her kind heart,” it reads. “She was colorful, spunky, and known to always be listening to music or dancing. She was smart, she was creative, and she was beautiful inside and out.”
To honor her memory, mourners were asked to wear purple – her favorite color – to the funeral. Her family also announced that Aunamarie’s organs would be donated, offering hope to others in need.
‘This is a school zone’
Aunamarie’s death has sparked renewed calls for traffic safety reform in the Central Square area, particularly around school zones.
Susan Bonnet, who manages Bonnet Sales & Service across from the school, told Spectrum News 1 that reckless driving has long been an issue in the area.
“There doesn’t seem to be the desire to travel slowly up and down Route 11 on this stretch,” Bonnet said. “This is a school zone, a school zone, and those kids over there need to be kept safe.”
Bonnet, who witnessed the crash and stayed with Aunamarie until help arrived, said she “was asking [Aunamarie] to please fight, just to please fight and let her know she wasn’t alone, and we wouldn’t let her alone until her family came.”
“This is life changing. It is monumental. It is horrifying,” she added.
‘Miss you so much’
The tragedy also led Aunamarie’s dad to express his pain in a deeply emotional Facebook post on Thanksgiving – his first without her.
“I am beyond words waking up this morning I miss you so much Auna and I wish you could be here today,” Paul Mahnken wrote alongside photos of them together. “Things truly are not the same without you, and I don’t want to celebrate a single thing without you. I pray that you have a great Thanksgiving up there baby girl, daddy loves you so f***ing much.”
Central Square School District Superintendent Thomas J. Colabufo confirmed that multiple students witnessed the incident and that counseling services were offered to students and staff impacted by the loss.
As of the most recent updates, no charges have been filed. Investigators say Hanlon has continued to cooperate fully, and no signs of impairment were detected at the time of the crash. The investigation remains ongoing.
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