Anaheim

“She Was a Good Mom”: Grandmother Killed in Anaheim Hit-and-Run

Family members said the woman was on her way to visit a family friend and may have been dropping off food to homeless in the area when she was struck.

A grandmother of 11 children described as a loving woman who helped her family died Sunday morning after being struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver in Anaheim hours earlier, police said.

Daniella Palacios, 44, was riding a bicycle on Magnolia Street near La Palma Avenue when she was hit by a truck just after 9 p.m. Saturday, according to the Anaheim Police Department.

Palacios died at a hospital Sunday about 1 a.m., the Orange County coroner said.

Family members said Palacios was on her way to visit a family friend and may have been dropping off food to homeless in the area when she was struck.

Palacios' mother Julie Lopez told NBC4 her daughter was temporarily homeless and "never forgot about people in need."

"She would help feed the ones that didn't have," Lopez said. "She was planning a trip to Texas to be with her son and grandchildren, now...not going to make it for Thanksgiving."

Palacios had eight children between 9 and 28 years old, and she was also a grandmother of 11, family members said.

"She was a good mom to all her kids and grandkids," daughter Elaina Garcia said. "She was there for every older sibling and younger sibling. (Halloween) was the last time I hugged her."

"She raised me while my mom worked, she was there for all of us," said Palacio' sister Reina Lopez. "I'm not mad, just come forward. It could have been anybody else's sister, anybody else's mother."

Police on Sunday released a surveillance photo, pictured at right, of a white truck believed to be the vehicle involved. Anyone with information was asked to call call 855-TIP-OCCS.

Those who wish to donate to the family for Palacios' funeral can visit www.gofundme.com/glr2u0.

Jane Yamamoto contributed to this report.

Note: Police first released Palacios' first name as Daniela, but family members said her name is spelled Daniella.

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