Toddler hurt after being hit by 2 cars in Strawberry Mansion, Philadelphia police say
A 2-year-old boy is in stable condition after he was hit by two cars in Strawberry Mansion Thursday night, Philadelphia police said. Both drivers fled the scene.
The toddler's mother, Dachanell Ross Bryant, said her son, Kayden, remained at the hospital Friday afternoon.
"How can you hit my child and keep going?" Bryant asked through tears.
The boy has scrapes and bruises on his face and head, but is stable at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Chief Inspector Scott Small said.
"I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that my child is okay," Bryant said.
She added that Kayden did not have any broken bones. The single mother is pleading for the drivers to turn themselves in.
The child's mother and other family members were getting ready to put him in a car at the intersection of 33rd Street and Susquehanna Avenue when he walked into the street, Small said.
Bryant said she was putting her kids into the car, when Kayden got away from her. They were heading home after having a picnic in Fairmount Park, near Mandor Pool, with friends when it all happened.
He was then hit by two cars — a blue SUV and a white pickup truck — that were traveling south on 33rd Street, according to Small.
"It sounded like a car hit another car, but it was Kayden. I feel so terrible. It was too fast for me to grab him. Before I could look, he was already under the car," Daisey Colon, the boy's godmother, said.
The boy is "extremely lucky" his injuries aren't worse, Small said.
Police will check the footage from some private surveillance cameras near the intersection to help with their investigation, Small said.
Now, the drivers are being urged to do the right thing and turn themselves in.
"It's very, very, very cowardly to strike a little boy and then flee the scene. You should remain on scene and render aid," Small said. "We know sometimes people panic, but the right thing to do is call 911 or drive to the nearest police station and admit what happened."
"That's a speedy street right there. They speed up and down the straight like just to go to one light to the other," said James Booker, who has lived on the block for three years.
He believes the street is in need of speed bumps, signs or cameras to make sure this doesn't happen again.
"They need something to slow the traffic down. That's what they really need," Booker said.
It's a message echoed by Bryant's mom and godmother. They're thankful the toddler is alive and will be okay.
"My child is very, very scared right now. All I need is y'all to keep my child in prayers right now," Bryant said.
