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Andres Marin, 48, of Plymouth Meeting, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter, homicide by vehicle, and related offenses in the Tuesday, Aug. 22 fatality, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele said.
The girl and four other neighborhood children, ages 6 to 11, were riding their bikes and scooters outside when they asked Marin, who was a neighbor, to give them a ride in the back of his white 1996 Subaru Sambar truck, Steele said alongside local police.
Marin has taken neighborhood children for rides in the unique-looking truck on other occasions. The five children got into the bed of the Sambar truck, which has sidewalls that measure just 11.5 inches tall, and were driving around the neighborhood, with the children moving around the back of the truck bed. The investigation found that the 7-year-old leaned over the sidewall, fell and struck her head on the pavement, then was run over by the truck, police said.
Marin picked up the injured girl, drove to her parents’ house, then drove the girl and her father to Einstein Montgomery County, arriving at 8:14 p.m. The 7-year-old girl was pronounced dead at 8:43 p.m. An autopsy on the girl’s body was completed on Aug. 23, 2023, by Dr. Kahlil Wardak of the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office, who determined that the cause of death was blunt impact injuries and the manner of death was homicide.
Marin surrendered to authorities Tuesday, Sept. 5, and was arraigned on charges of Involuntary Manslaughter, Homicide by Vehicle, Endangering the Welfare of Children (five counts), Reckless Endangerment (five counts), Passengers in an Open Truck (five counts) and Careless Driving.
Magisterial District Judge Albert J. Augustine set bail at $50,000 unsecured. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m., Sept. 19, before Magisterial District Judge Jodi Lukens Griffis.
The case will be prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Caroline Goldstein, captain of the Family Protection Unit.
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