Two-year-old hit-and-run victim remains critical as Eden Prairie weighs safety fixes

Somaia Kamawal, the 2-year-old girl injured in a hit-and-run in Eden Prairie on Aug. 21, remains in critical condition, according to Hennepin Healthcare.

Somaia, her 27-year-old mother, Spogmai Kamawal, and another sibling were struck at Mitchell Road and Chestnut Drive by a white car that fled the scene, police said. Spogmai and the other child were treated at Hennepin Healthcare and later discharged. Somaia is being treated at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, which is part of Hennepin Healthcare.

The investigation was transferred from the Eden Prairie Police Department to the Minnesota State Patrol on Monday. Lt. Mike Lee of the State Patrol said the case remains under investigation.

Spogmai Kamawal was pulling two of her children in a wagon while her other two walked ahead; the children walking ahead were not injured, according to police reports.

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A GoFundMe created to support the family and cover medical expenses reported that Somaia had internal bleeding over the weekend. The bleeding has since subsided, but she is still struggling to regain consciousness.

Because her pain is so severe, doctors had to place her back under sedation, according to the GoFundMe. 

In a statement released Tuesday night through Hennepin Healthcare, Naseer Kamawal, Somaia’s father, urged anyone with information to call investigators at 952-949-6200.

“We are looking for justice for our family and to have this case solved as soon as possible, which is dependent on the diligent efforts of our law enforcement partners,” Naseer said. 

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Naseer said seeing his daughter receive care in the pediatric intensive care unit is very difficult. 

“We know she is strong and our daughter is getting the best care, but it is still very difficult to see your precious child in critical condition,” Naseer said. 

Officials weigh safety fixes after crash

Eden Prairie officials are working to determine what more can be done to make the intersection safer in the wake of the crash.

Mayor Ron Case said the city is reviewing the intersection to see what improvements could be made to increase safety and ease concerns. One immediate change could be adding signage 50 to 100 feet before the intersection in both directions.

Case said it is possible the city could also add additional lighting to the intersection. There is currently only one light pole near the intersection. 

The City Council will discuss the crash further at next Tuesday’s meeting, Case said.

The intersection currently has “Stop for Pedestrians in Crosswalk” signs facing both directions, along with in-street warning signs on the marked crosswalk.

According to the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s crash mapping analysis tool, there has been only one crash at the intersection of Mitchell Road and Chestnut Drive between 2015 and 2025. That crash occurred in April 2017 when one southbound vehicle rear-ended another.

Other intersections along Mitchell Road have had more crashes in the past 10 years, according to MnDOT data. They include Mitchell and Blakeney Road with four crashes, Mitchell and Cove Point Road with five, and Mitchell at the curve south of Blakeney Road with eight. Since 2015, Mitchell and Anderson Lakes Parkway has had 65 crashes, while Mitchell and Pioneer Trail has had 18.

Eden Prairie Public Works Director Robert Ellis said Mitchell Road’s speed limit is 30 mph. The city conducted a speed study in June that found the average speed on the road was 29 mph.

The city recorded traffic volumes on Mitchell Road in 2024, finding that about 6,700 vehicles per day drive on the road, Ellis said. This is lower than most previous years, as in 2016 the road saw an average of 6,900 vehicles per day and in 2012 the average was 7,100.

In 2020, Ellis said traffic on Mitchell Road dropped to 5,800 vehicles per day.

Ellis said city engineers will collect pedestrian and traffic volume data to see if activity has increased in the area and to determine whether additional safety measures are needed. 

Depending on what the studies find, the Public Works Department may consider installing a Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon, or RRFB, activated by pedestrians, Ellis said. RRFBs are small, flashing yellow lights that accompany pedestrian crossing signs.

Pedestrians would press a button to activate the flashing lights, Ellis said. The lights would flash for a set time to allow pedestrians to cross safely.

An increase in pedestrian traffic, speeding, multiple-lane crossings and higher vehicle volumes would be necessary to implement RRFBs, Ellis said.

There are a handful of RRFBs in Eden Prairie, Ellis said, most of them on high-traffic roads such as Highway 101, Eden Prairie Road and Dell Road.

“These locations have higher volumes of traffic, higher posted speed limits, higher roadway classification, and in most cases three or more lanes of traffic for the pedestrian to cross,” Ellis said. “These roadway characteristics lend themselves to the installation of an RRFB at an uncontrolled crossing.”  

Naseer said drivers should use caution and watch for pedestrians, and that pedestrians should always be watching for vehicles. 

Father’s message after hit-and-run

Naseer Kamawal, whose daughter Somaia remains hospitalized in critical condition, said drivers should use caution and watch for pedestrians, and that pedestrians should always be watching for vehicles.

“It was wrong for someone to hit my family and drive away. I also don’t want this to happen to anyone else,” Naseer said. “Don’t let this person keep you from enjoying time with your family outdoors.”