Heartbroken family of three-month-old who died in tragic car accident that killed tot’s parents and two-year-old brother donate his organs to save the lives of other children

The heartbroken family of the three-month-old child who died in the tragic car crash in San Francisco has decided to donate his organs to help another baby.

The baby, Cauê Ramos Pinto de Oliveira, died Wednesday after he, his mother, father and two-year-old brother were hit by an SUV that crashed into the West Portal Muni bus stop on Saturday.

Diego Cardoso de Oliveira, 40, his wife, Matilde Ramos Pinto, 38, and their one-year-old son, Joaquin, were previously pronounced dead following the incident.

Initially, Cauê survived and was placed in the pediatric intensive care unit at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital with serious injuries.

‘Little Cauê was a fighter and our hero; His organs have been donated and will serve to save the lives of other children,” the family said.

The family of four were waiting at the bus stop on their way to the zoo on Saturday when Mary Fong Lau, 78, hit them with her Mercedes SUV.

Witnesses said the impact of the crash sent Joaquin flying through the air.

Matilde was taken to hospital after the crash, while her husband and toddler died at the scene. She died in hospital on Sunday.

Lau was arrested on Sunday on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter, wrong-way driving, unsafe driving and reckless driving.

The driver was initially taken to the hospital for injuries and it remains unclear what caused her car to jump the curb and crash into a fire hydrant, pole and side of the local library.

Some witnesses said Lau had suffered a medical incident before the crash. Others said she got out of the car and shouted, “What have I done?” Police have not released any details about what led to the horror crash.

Another witness, Nikki Mashburn, told The San Francisco Chronicle that she heard the crash and that it sounded like “an explosion.” She said the victims suffered head injuries.

“When the paramedics arrived, you could tell they didn’t know what to do first,” Mashburn said.

‘The stroller was clearly destroyed. Yeah, so he was still tied up there,” Johanna Dimayuga, a resident of the area, told CBS News.

The family lived in the Bay Area’s Mission District and planned to spend a day at the zoo together for Diego and Matilde’s wedding anniversary, friends said.

Diego, creative director at Apple, was from Brazil and Matilde was a film and advertising producer from Portugal.

Family members have left tributes on the couple’s social media accounts.

“I’m sorry this happened to you and your family. Leaning on your baby’s health,” read a comment on Diego’s Instagram.

Another said: ‘My dear sweet Matilde. I am so heartbroken. I can’t believe you were and are an angel in my life forever. I miss you.’

San Francisco Mayor London Breed said on X, formerly Twitter, that she had visited the scene of the collision on Saturday. She called it “heartbreaking.”

The crash site has since been covered with stuffed animals, flowers, candles and a stroller with a heart-shaped cutout that reads: “Remembering the precious lives lost on March 16, 2024.”

Attorneys from Walk San Francisco added three pairs of shoes in honor of the mother, father and child who were tragically lost.

The advocacy group said the incident was “the most devastating pedestrian tragedies in our city’s history” and held a memorial for them at the crash site on Monday.

The grieving family has praised the love and support they have received following the tragedy.

In a statement Thursday, the victim’s family said: “We loved Diego, Matilde, Joaquim and Cauê very much and are sure that the love they showed to their family and friends will serve as their legacy.”

The family called the deceased mother and father real “life improvers” that “everyone enjoys being around.”

‘The outpouring of love and sadness from all over the world, which has moved us enormously, is proof of this.’

Following the tragedy, Walk San Francisco and locals raised concerns about the intersection of Ulloa Street and West Portal Avenue, where the bus stop is located.

The group noted that there are several places around the intersection that families and children frequent, such as a library, schools and train stations.

“It’s time to fundamentally rethink areas like where this crash occurred, where thousands of people walk, cross and wait every day,” said Jodie Medeiros, the advocacy group’s executive director.

This was the second child to die in the city in less than a year, as fatalities like this have increased and residents are feeling uneasy.