A Texas toddler was hit by her grandfather’s vehicle as she ran to the driveway to greet him. The tragic accident happened in Houston, Texas, on Tuesday night after the 22-month-old girl broke free from her grandmother and ran towards her grandfather’s silver truck as it approached the driveway. The toddler was too small to see from inside the vehicle and the grandfather unknowingly ran over the child as he backed into the driveway.
KHOU reports that the unidentified child was just 22-months-old when she broke free from her grandmother’s arms and ran towards her grandfather’s truck to greet him. The grandmother was holding the child as the grandfather backed up the driveway. However, the toddler escaped the grandmother’s grasp, eager to get to her grandfather, and the grandmother attempted to catch the girl. Tragically, the grandmother could not make it to the toddler in time and the grandfather backed over the small child.
Sergeant R. Dukes of the Houston Police Department says that the accident happened in a matter of seconds as the toddler jumped from her grandmother’s arms to greet her grandfather.
“They were sitting down in the yard and she broke free from the grandmother. The grandmother couldn’t catch her in time.”
A witness says that the grandfather immediately jumped out of the truck and scooped up the small child in his arms and desperately tried to revive her. Emergency responders were called to the scene and took the child from the grandfather’s arms in an attempt to save her. However, the little girl died in her grandfather’s arms.
ABC 13 reports that the toddler was the only grandchild of the devastated grandfather. A neighbor says that the little girl “meant the world” to the grieving grandfather and that the little girl spent a lot of time at the doting grandparent’s home.
“Whenever I saw the girl around, she was always in his arms next to him. All the time they were playing; they were together taking care of the little girl and that was the only one coming and he was real loving.”
After the horrific accident, family members could be seen consoling the emotional grandfather. Sergeant Dukes says that no charges will be filed against the grandfather as it was all a tragic accident.
“The grandfather has to live with this for the rest of his life. It’s unfortunate.”
The grandfather was tested for drugs and alcohol, all tests came back negative.
[Image Credit: ABC 13 ]
