EXCLUSIVE: CCTV reveals strange red thing flew out of car when 16-year-old boy crashed into tree less than 10 minutes from home on his birthday

A 16-year-old boy, who had just started high school, was less than 10 minutes from his home in Long Island when he died after his car crashed into a tree.

Around 9:22 p.m. local time on Saturday, Sept. 27, officials responded to reports of a motor vehicle accident on Second Avenue, near Horton Avenue, in Calverton, the Riverhead Town Police Department said in a statement shared with PEOPLE.

Detectives learned that a 16-year-old boy from Riverhead was driving a Honda Civic, traveling east on Second Avenue, when it hit a tree. The teen was transported to a medical center where he was pronounced dead, authorities said.

The 16-year-old was later identified as Ostin Portillo Perdomo, RiverheadLOCAL, News 12 Long Island and Patch reported.

The boy’s aunt, Amarilis Herrera, expressed her shock when speaking with RiverheadLOCAL. He was seen leaving his house that evening at 9:15 p.m. on a home surveillance camera, just minutes before the accident.

“When they called us to tell us, I couldn’t believe it until I arrived at the hospital and saw him,” Herrera told the outlet. “We’re in shock. You see him and you can’t believe it. It’s very hard for the whole family.”

The teen was born in El Salvador and moved to the United States with his mom and sister because his mom, Sofia Portillo, wanted her children to have more opportunities, RiverheadLOCAL reported. Ostin had recently moved to a new house with Sofia, his dad Marvin and two younger siblings. On Aug. 20, he celebrated his milestone birthday and was about to start a new job, according to the outlet.

“He was a very well-behaved child,” his aunt told RiverheadLOCAL. “He was very attached to his little siblings. He would take care of them, feed them when his parents were [working].”

On Saturday, Ostin spent the morning helping his dad fix things around the house. They shared a special bond, Herrera told the outlet.

The high schooler aspired to become a lawyer or professional soccer player when he grew up. But those dreams were cut short.

After the crash, Sofia created a GoFundMe fundraiser to help cover funeral expenses for her firstborn.

“Hello, may God bless you. We are raising funds for the funeral expenses of my son, Ostin, who passed away on Saturday, September 27th, in a tragic accident,” wrote Sofia, who did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment, in Spanish. “We ask for your help; may God richly bless you for your generosity.”

Ostin’s school shared the news of his death in a community-wide letter, according to Patch.

“It is with deep sadness that I share the heartbreaking news that one of our students, Ostin Portillo, passed away this past weekend,” wrote Riverhead High School Principal Sean O’Hara, according to the outlet. “We extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to Ostin’s family and friends during this difficult time. Our thoughts and prayers remain with them.”

O’Hara continued, “A young person’s passing is always tragic, and a sudden loss like this can have a profound effect on the entire school community.”

Two days before the accident, Ostin, who attended a Christian church, told his aunt that “he was already on the path of God,” according to RiverheadLOCAL.

“We are destroyed,” Herrera told the outlet. “Marvin, my brother, is shattered, his mother is devastated — he was very special to everyone.”

An investigation into the crash is ongoing. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Riverhead Police Department at (631) 727-4500, extension 312.