Vigil To Mark 1 Year Since 2 Cranford Teens Killed In Hit-And-Run

CRANFORD, NJ — Families are hosting a candlelight vigil for Cranford teens Maria Niotis and Isabella Salas, who were killed one year ago in a hit-and-run crash on Burnside Avenue.

The vigil will be held on Burnside Avenue at 6:30 p.m. for Niotis and Salas.

"Let us come together to light candles, share memories, and honor their beautiful lives," according to the flyer for the vigil.

On Sept. 29, 2025, police were called to Burnside Avenue shortly after 5:30 p.m. after reports that two teenage girls riding an electric bicycle had been struck by a vehicle.

Both girls were Cranford High School students. They were taken to area hospitals after the crash, where they later died, according to officials.

The girls were reportedly hit by Vincent P. Battiloro, 17 of Garwood, according to the Union County Prosecutor's Office.

He was identified as the suspect through court records along with reports that he had been stalking at least one of the girls for months leading up to the crash.

Battiloro is charged with two counts of murder and 15 other citations.

In June, authorities announced that Battiloro would be tried as an adult in the case.

Along with a decorated gazebo downtown, a number of other tributes and memorials continue to be held in the girls' honor since their death in September.

At the end of 2025, the Cranford and greater Union County community came together to raise tens of thousands of dollars for the families through a music sale put on by a local DJ who partnered with a restaurant in the area.

READ MORE: $23K Raised For Families Of Girls Killed In Cranford

A scholarship fund was also launched in Salas' memory.

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