Friends, Neighbors Remember Samantha Nguyen-Ortanez

Eleven-year-old Samantha "Sammie" Nguyen-Ortanez was an active member of local Girl Scouts Troop No. 30430, an avid dancer, an aspiring actress and a fifth-grade student at Erial Elementary School. 

On Sunday, Nguyen-Ortanez was struck and killed by an allegedly drunken driver while walking on South 8th Street near the Italian Market in South Philadelphia. Her 3-year-old half-brother, Aaron, and stepmother, Lacky Xiong, were also injured. Xiong suffered two broken arms and Aaron broke his leg. 

“Out of respect for Sammie’s family, we are not making any formal statements about Sammie to the news media. We are taking time to take care of the girls in Sammie’s troop and within our service unit,” said Michele LeMansey, who is the Timber Creek Girl Scouts Service Unit Leader.  

LeMansey noted the service unit, which covers all of Gloucester Township, Clementon and Lindenwold, has never experienced a tragedy of this magnitude. Local Girl Scouts will be working on projects in the coming weeks to honor Sammie, she said.

Today, Girl Scouts at Erial Elementary, Lindenwold Elementary Schools 4 and 5, and other local schools will be wearing their uniforms and a special green, black, and white ribbon in Sammie’s honor. Other students and school staff will also be participating.  

“We are standing united and working on projects to keep Sammie’s memory alive," LeMansey said. 

Troops within the Timber Creek Service Unit have already donated money toward flowers for the young girl's family. 

Students at Erial Elementary began making green bracelets Monday after learning of their classmate's death. The bracelets are being sold to help purchase a memorial plaque and to plant a cherry tree at the school in Nguyen-Ortanez's memory.

Mayor David Mayer and members of the Township Council all wore the green bracelets during Monday night's Council meeting.

"My heart goes out to Samantha's family, friends, classmates. I have four children, and I cannot imagine the sorrow that family and their neighbors and friends are dealing with right now," Councilman Dan Hutchison said, expressing a sentiment shared by several elected officials Monday night.

Nguyen-Ortanez’s father, Andy Nguyen, is the owner of MK Nails on Cross Keys Road in Sicklerville. Friends and community members have been dropping food, flowers and donations off at the salon throughout the week.

Stevie Matteo, owner of Slim Chicks Fitness, which is located across the parking lot from MK Nails, remembers Sammie as an adorable, sweet, bubbly little girl.  

“Samantha would be here at the gym with all her adorableness,” she said.

Nguyen-Ortanez was also enrolled in dance classes at Dance, Inc. in Sicklerville and planned to perform at Mainstage Center for the Arts this summer. 

Nguyen-Ortanez split her time between New Jersey and California, where her mother lived. A local funeral service will be held on Friday, March 30. Specific details are being withheld at the request of the family. 

Max Drosi, 28, of Miami, FL, is charged with four counts of aggravated assault while driving intoxicated and single counts of homicide, homicide while driving under the influence, and reckless endangerment in connection with the fatal accident, according to Philadelphia Police.