Family of 14-year-old boy killed in hit-and-run speaks out, still seeking answers 10 years later

CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. (WINK) — “How can you kill a child and just leave and go on about your life?”

That’s the question Sharyl Federly has been asking for 10 years.

On Feb. 26, 2016, her 14-year-old nephew, Devin Federly, was riding his bike along Sheehan Boulevard near State Avenue in Port Charlotte when a pickup truck crossed into the wrong lane and hit him, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Troopers said the vehicle was an older-model silver pickup truck. After hitting Devin, the driver left the scene.

Devin was thrown about 30 feet into the air and died from his injuries.

“You have to be an extremely callous, heartless individual to be able to live with this for 10 years,” Federly said.

No one has been arrested in the case.

Federly said the grief still feels fresh for the family.

“The unending crying,” she said. “Having to go back a few weeks later and go to his school and empty out his locker.”

A memorial bench at the Charlotte BMX Park — where Devin loved to ride — reads, “Riding with the angels.”

Federly said the family cannot fully move forward without accountability and believes someone knows what happened.

“Controlling the emotions gets to where it feels impossible,” she said. “Everything just feels so undone. It’s not finished.”

Federly said she still believes in humanity, and she hopes the person who did this will find theirs.

Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact the Florida Highway Patrol by dialing *FHP (347) or Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-8477.