We All Matter News 
A Devastating Loss in South Carolina Sparks Grief and Questions
Two young boys are dead after a horrific crash in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, an incident that has shattered families and reignited debate over road safety, accountability, and immigration enforcement.
Authorities say Eri Otoniel Roblero Perez, a Mexican national who officials state was in the United States without legal status, allegedly drove under the influence before veering off the road and onto a sidewalk, striking 12-year-old Dereon James Robinson and 9-year-old Mikhail-Lee Smith as they rode their bicycles. Both children later died at a hospital from their injuries.
Perez has been charged with two counts of felony DUI resulting in death, as well as driving with an open container and driving without a license. He is currently being held at the Spartanburg County Detention Center and has been denied bond. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement has lodged a detainer in the case, indicating federal authorities intend to take custody of him.
A Family’s Unimaginable Pain
In court, the heartbreak of the boys’ loved ones was laid bare. Dereon’s mother, Megan, told the judge she was walking just behind the children when the vehicle allegedly left the roadway. She said she narrowly avoided being struck herself.
“I ran to my son while he bled to death,” she said through tears.
One of Dereon’s brothers spoke of the painful irony that the tragedy unfolded on his own birthday.
“Now I have to bury my own brother who looked up to me,” he told the court.
The loss of two young lives has left an ache that words cannot fully capture. These were children riding bikes on a sidewalk — an ordinary, joyful act that should have been safe.
Accountability and the Larger Conversation
Federal officials stated that Perez had entered the country at an unknown time and place. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security expressed condolences to the families and emphasized that the accused now faces both criminal prosecution and potential immigration consequences.
As the legal process moves forward, the case underscores several urgent issues. Drunk driving remains a persistent and deadly threat in communities across the United States, claiming thousands of lives every year. Advocates for safer streets argue that stronger prevention efforts, accessible public transportation, and community education are essential to stopping these tragedies before they happen.
At the same time, immigration policy continues to be a flashpoint in national politics. While accountability is essential when anyone is accused of a serious crime, immigrant rights advocates caution against using individual tragedies to demonize entire communities. The overwhelming majority of immigrants — regardless of status — are not violent offenders, and broad-brush rhetoric can fuel xenophobia rather than constructive solutions.
This case will proceed through the courts, where evidence will be weighed and due process upheld. For the families of Dereon and Mikhail-Lee, however, no legal outcome can restore what has been taken.
Remembering Two Young Lives
Community members have begun mourning the boys, remembering them not as headlines or statistics but as children with dreams, families, and futures that mattered. Their deaths are a stark reminder of how fragile life can be — and of our collective responsibility to build safer, more compassionate communities.
As the Spartanburg community grieves, many are calling not only for justice in this case but for a renewed commitment to protecting children, strengthening public safety, and addressing the root causes that allow preventable tragedies to occur. In moments like this, the focus must remain where it belongs: on honoring the lives lost and supporting the families who now carry unimaginable pain.
