A Mother’s Plea for Justice After Unthinkable Tragedy

In the quiet town of Cranford, New Jersey, Foulla Niotis is living through every parent’s worst nightmare. Her 17-year-old daughter Maria and Maria’s best friend Isabella Salas were tragically killed last month when they were struck by a Jeep while riding an e-bike. What makes this tragedy even more devastating is that, according to Niotis, this wasn’t a simple accident but the culmination of months of stalking behavior that the family had repeatedly reported to authorities. The driver, identified in traffic citations as 17-year-old Vincent Battiloro, was allegedly traveling at 70 mph when he struck the girls. “I want justice for these two beautiful girls. My girls,” Niotis told Fox News, her voice breaking with emotion as she advocates for the suspect to be tried as an adult. “He knew what he was doing. I really, truly believe he knew what he was doing.”

The grieving mother describes a harrowing three-month period before the tragedy during which she claims Battiloro had been stalking her daughter. She recounts multiple instances of reporting this behavior to local police, including several “swatting” incidents and occasions where the teen would park in front of their home. One particularly distressing incident stands out in her memory: police arrived, encountered Battiloro, but allowed him to drive home because of his status as a juvenile. Niotis remembers her daughter’s confusion and frustration after this encounter. “She was so upset,” Niotis recalled. “She’s like, ‘How can they let him go? Mommy? How? They should have arrested him. Mom. Why? Why did they let him go? They know what’s going on.’ I said, ‘I don’t know, honey. They said that he’s a juvenile.'” Niotis claims that when seeking help from authorities, she was never informed about protective options like restraining orders.

What compounds this family’s grief is a peculiarity in New Jersey law: restraining orders cannot be issued against minors in the state. This legal gap has now sparked community action, with a petition on Change.org gathering nearly 7,000 signatures from residents asking legislators to lower the age threshold for obtaining restraining orders to 15. The petition, started by two Cranford teenagers, poignantly states, “As two teenage residents of Cranford, NJ, we were shocked and saddened by the loss of our peers—and stunned to discover that, in our state, the law does not adequately protect us or our friends from stalkers.” They emphasize that “No other brother, sister, parent, or friend should experience the profound loss our community has faced. Proactive changes like these can save lives.” The grassroots movement reflects a community grappling with both grief and determination to prevent similar tragedies.

The case is currently being handled in New Jersey’s juvenile justice system, which by design maintains strict confidentiality around such proceedings. Authorities have confirmed that an underage teen has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder but have not publicly released the suspect’s name. This confidentiality, while designed to protect minors, has become a source of frustration for the victims’ families who are seeking transparency and accountability. The Niotis family’s lawyer, Brent Bramnick, has voiced these concerns: “I would like to see the truth come out. We have a grieving family, a grieving mother, two innocent children lost. This is the type of unimaginable circumstances that we all fear, both people with children, people without children, everybody in the community, and the public has questions. And I think they deserve answers, and also the family deserves answers.”

Bramnick is now advocating for the case to be transferred from juvenile to adult criminal court, a process that prosecutors can pursue in certain serious circumstances. “There are a number of incidents that occurred prior to the murder of both of the children, and the question we would ask is what was done?” he stated, suggesting that the alleged premeditated nature of the crime and the preceding pattern of behavior warrant such a transfer. The family has now taken their concerns to a higher level, asking New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin to investigate the case and the handling of their previous complaints. Meanwhile, the Cranford Police Department has redirected all inquiries to the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, which has stopped issuing public statements as their investigation continues. Sources also claim that speaking out has earned Niotis a death threat, adding yet another layer of trauma to her already unbearable situation.

As this case unfolds in the legal system, Foulla Niotis is left to mourn the daughter she describes as her “sunshine.” Through tears, she shared memories of Maria’s character: “She was such a kind-hearted person, and she loved everybody. She tried to help everybody she could, and she didn’t like people being bullied. She didn’t. She stood by people that were hurting. She was just a good-hearted person. She was my sunshine. She would walk into the room, and she would light it up with her smile. And I miss it so much.” Her words paint a portrait of a compassionate young woman whose life was cut tragically short, leaving a devastated family and community questioning how such a tragedy could have been prevented. In the wake of unimaginable loss, they are now channeling their grief into a fight for justice and systemic change, hoping to ensure that no other family has to endure what they’ve experienced.