Driver describes near miss with baby

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - An Indianapolis man, who says he almost ran over a wandering child found sitting in the middle of the road, described a split second decision as a wake up call to every driver.

The child's mother is under fire from her neighbors on the southwest side because they said she typically allows her two-year-old child to wander the neighborhood alone.

Thursday morning, little Aerionna Flores was found in the road in the 1400 block of Phillips Drive wearing only a shirt and a diaper ( read more ).

When the mother finally came out, neighbors refused to give the child back to her until police arrived.

Tim Kelly was driving and almost hit the little girl.

"The baby was sitting in the middle of the street just playing with rocks and no adult was no where,” said Kelly.

Kelly said he honked his horn to get someone’s attention. Finally, teenagers came out four houses down only shaking their heads.

“That’s a big deal, a child playing in the street that young...Anyone could have picked her up, run off with her or run over her,” Kelly said. “If I hadn't been paying attention I would have run over her, literally. She was so small she was like a bump in the road.”

The toddler’s mother, 22-year-old Kristie Hughes said, "I talked to child protective services and I still got my kids."

The Indiana Department of Child Services confirms there is an "open assessment" of Hughes, meaning she is being investigated.

IMPD is also investigating.

This is not the first time two-year-old Aerionna has been found wandering. Neighbors said last month the child wandered into another yard and got so close to a small pond, adults had to pull her away.