Tragic Incident Details

• 💡 Two teen best friends, Maria and Isabella, were tragically killed while riding their e-bikes in Cranford, New Jersey.
• ⚡ The driver, later identified as Vincent Bataloro, intentionally struck them at 70 mph in a 25 mph residential zone.
• 📌 The impact was so severe that one e-bike wedged into the Jeep, and Maria's family, including her twin brother, witnessed the horrific event.

Months of Stalking and Harassment

• ⚠️ Bataloro had been stalking and harassing Maria for at least three months after she rejected his romantic advances.
• 💬 He made online threats, including creating AI-generated nude photos, and discussed his "vengeance" against Maria in live streams.
• 🏫 Maria had filed a restraining order, and the school and police were notified, but the system reportedly failed to protect her.

Perpetrator's Online Behavior and Family Involvement

• 🎮 Bataloro continued to live-stream video games after the incident, expressing concern for his 40,000 TikTok followers and making threats against those who criticized him.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 His father is a police officer and his uncle a police chief, which influenced decisions like refusing a phone search without a warrant.
• ⚖️ He was ordered to undergo a SAVRY assessment (Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth) due to his behavior.

Legal Proceedings and Call for Justice

• 🚨 Bataloro is currently facing two counts of first-degree murder, initially in juvenile court, though this could change to adult court.
• 💔 The families of Maria and Isabella are enduring their funerals while awaiting justice for the preventable deaths.
• 📞 Authorities are asking anyone with information about the case to contact Cranford PD.