By Kelsey Durham
Police were investigating a car accident Monday afternoon that left a 2-year-old boy in critical condition after he was hit by a car on an Auburndale street, the NYPD said.
Police said the boy was struck by a vehicle just before 2:30 p.m. after he ran out into the street in front of a home on 196th St., just north of Northern Boulevard. Police and paramedics responded to find the boy lying in the street with serious head injuries and took him to Long Island Jewish Hospital, according to the NYPD. The driver of the vehicle, a blue 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander, remained on the scene, police said.
Witnesses who were in the area at the time of the accident said the boy appeared to be walking with his mother and a younger child in a stroller when the accident occurred. Robin Stuelpner, who lives across the street from where it took place, said she did not hear any sounds from the impact, but instead heard a woman scream and ran to call 911 after going outside to see what had happened.
“I just heard her screaming — that’s what drew my attention,” Stuelpner said.
Stuelpner said she saw who she believed was the driver of the Mitsubishi remain at the scene and help tend to the boy until EMS workers came. She said the boy was conscious and described the 911 operator instructing her to tell those surrounding him to be sure not to move him until help arrived.
Employees of Barbershop Steve 3000, located at the corner of 196th Street and Northern Boulevard, described seeing a child lying in the street and screaming for his mother after the accident happened.
“I saw blood all over his face and he just kept screaming ‘Mommy,’” said Vinny Davidod. “They put one of those full body casts on him. They were there for a while.”
Davidod also said he saw the woman who appeared to be the boy’s mother walking with another child in a stroller but said he had never seen the children or the mother in the neighborhood before.
Authorities said later Monday evening that the victim was in critical but stable condition.
Read an update on the boy here.
Reach reporter Kelsey Durham at 718-260-4573 or by e-mail at kdurham@cnglocal.com.
