MILWAUKEE — A 12-year-old Milwaukee boy remains in intensive care two weeks after being struck by a repeat unlicensed and uninsured driver while riding his minibike in a crosswalk.
Cameron Malatt was riding his minibike just blocks from home on Dec. 22 when prosecutors say he was hit by a black BMW at Vine and 20th on Milwaukee's north side.
The impact left him motionless on the ground with dozens of broken bones throughout his body and the loss of all his top teeth.
"I already thought he was dead," said Daniel Malatt, Cameron's father. "Of course I thought the worst already because he wasn't moving, talking, nothing."
Cameron was rushed to the intensive care unit, where he remains unable to eat or breathe on his own. His parents now fear he may never walk independently again.
"It's pretty horrible. You see it on TV, you're like, some people get better, some people don't. Some people die. It's part of life, but you don't want to see it happen to your child," Daniel Malatt said.
Prosecutors say the driver, 38-year-old Michael Mack, told officers "he felt a loud bang, as his BMW was struck by something." According to the police report, Mack stated he did not have a driver's license or auto insurance.
Watch: Milwaukee boy fights for recovery after getting hit by unlicensed driver
Investigating officers noted this would be Mack's second operating without a license charge in three years.
Mack was charged with two felonies, including operating a motor vehicle without a valid license, causing great bodily harm. He is currently being held in the Milwaukee County Jail.
The family now faces mounting medical costs as their health insurance won't cover the cosmetic surgery needed for Cameron's recovery.
"So he'll never be able to eat again normal if we don't fix his teeth, probably be made fun of the rest of his life, and we don't want that for him," said Jennifer Marlega, Cameron's mother.
"For something like this, when you hit a kid, and you have no insurance, they don't need all the money to fix it, pay for it," Daniel Malatt said.
The parents are now asking for community support to help their seventh-grader fully recover.
"We can't, we don't have the money for it," Daniel Malatt said.
If you would like to help Cameron's family, they've set up a fundraiser to help cover medical bills.
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