GoFundMe Started For Mother, Son Hit By Car In Peabody

PEABODY, MA -- Friends of the woman and child who were hit by a car in Peabody Thursday night have started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money to help with their recovery. Marly Araujo, 48, and her four-year-old son Nathan were hit by a car while crossing Washington Street. Araujo had just picked Nathan up at daycare and were walking to a car parked across the street, where the boy's father was waiting.

"Marly is one of the kindest, most selfless people I know," Danika Herrick, the campaign's organizer, said. "She is going to have a tough recovery for herself and also caring for Nathan, who still is in very critical condition with head trauma."

Araujo runs a house cleaning business and will be out of work as she recovers from her injuries. Her husband will also be limited in his ability to work as he cares for his wife and son, Herrick said. The campaign had raised $4,625 from 87 donors as of Saturday morning. Herrick said she and other friends of the family hope to raise $25,000.

Witnesses said Marly and Nathan were thrown 15 to 20 feet after being struck. The driver remained on scene and was "visibly shaken." The crash remains under investigation by Peabody Police the Massachusetts State Police Accident Reconstruction Unit and the Essex County District Attorney's Office.

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Photo submitted by Danika Herrick. Used with permission.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).