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‘How could you drive away?’: Police seek vehicle in hit-and-run that killed toddler

Toddler playing in driveway dies in hit-and-run

Richard Essex | News 8

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A family is in mourning after police say a 21-month-old girl playing in her driveway Sunday night was hit by a car that sped away.

The name of the girl had not been released on Monday, but a family member shared her photo with News 8.

On Sunday evening, the girl was playing in the driveway with her parents when a southbound car veered into the driveway of the home in the 1700 block of North Exeter Avenue and hit her, according to police.

Police described the car as a gray, four-door sedan, last seen headed south toward 16th Street.

The girls parents didn’t call 911, but instead grabbed her, jumped into a family car and sped toward the hospital. About a mile from the house, they spotted and flagged down a patrol car. Medics took the girl to a hospital, where she died from her injuries.

‘How could you drive away?’: Police seek vehicle in hit-and-run that killed toddler

‘How could you drive away?’: Police seek vehicle in hit-and-run that killed toddler

On Monday, the neighborhood was on high alert, and any car not from the area garnered extra attention from neighbors.

Jean Bland raised her family in the neighborhood and says people driving through the area don’t respect the speed limit.

“They just fly down this street, always have and always will. And it’s scary for the kids,” Bland said.

She also said she didn’t understand who could hit a child and just leave.

“They would have to be in agony right now. I mean, how could you not? How could you drive away from something like that? I mean, even if you had no insurance. I don’t care if you were high, stoned … how could you drive away when you see a baby lying there in the road? How could you do that?” said Bland.

IMPD has not released any additional information other than the incident is under investigation.

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