NJ parents speak out as courts stalls on adult charges for ‘killer’ teen

💔Parents of Isabella Salas speak publicly for the first time

💔Isabella and Maria Niotis were rear-ended by an SUV that was traveling at 70 mph

💔Prosecutor has not decided whether to upgrade charges to adult court

CRANFORD — In their first public comments since their daughter was killed, the parents of Isabella Salas say they remain in shock every day.

The 17-year-old and her best friend, Maria Niotis, were sitting on an eBike on Sept. 29. They were hit from behind by a speeding Jeep Compass driven by a 17-year-old from Garwood at 70 mph on Burnside Avenue, according to Union County Prosecutor William Daniel.

The teen, an online game streamer apparently influenced by right-wing and misogynistic content, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder as a juvenile. Daniel faced public pressure from the Niotis family to waive the charges to adult court. The family fears the stalker teen might be getting preferential treatment because his father is a former police officer in Chatham Borough and his uncle is the current police chief in Westfield.

The Salas family has remained silent until now.

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Adding to the timeline of the day Isabella Salas and Maria Niotis died

Sitting in a gazebo decorated with hand-crocheted hearts in honor of Isabella and Maria, Mary and Edwin Salas told News 12 that it has been “really hard” since Isabella’s death, and they miss hearing her singing around the house.

"She was always galavanting around and singing and dancing. We miss that in the house," Mary told News 12. "The house is so quiet.  We'd yell at her at 10 o'clock at night, 'go to bed!' What I would do to hear that."

On the day of their death, Mary had been tracking Isabella’s phone when the locator stopped. When a Facebook group posted about something happening on Burnside Avenue, Mary sent Edwin to the scene, where he saw his daughter’s belongings in the street. Maria's grandmother confirmed that the two girls had gone out together.

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with Valentine's tribute

Attorney Brent Bramnick, who represents the Niotis family, told New Jersey 101.5 that there is still no word from the Union County Prosecutor’s Office about the status of upgrading the charges to an adult. Until a decision is made, Bramnick said the case is remains in Family Court and all related proceedings are shielded from the public.

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