A toddler was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries after she was struck by a vehicle in Lowell Thursday afternoon, police said.
At around 4 p.m., officers responded to the intersection of West Third and Coburn streets for a report of a pedestrian crash, according to the Lowell Police Department.
Investigators said a mother was trying to get her 2-year-old daughter into the car outside a home daycare when the girl ran into the street.
Upon arrival, police found the girl in the roadway with serious injuries, police said. She was taken to a Boston-area hospital for treatment of life-threatening injuries, authorities said.
“Innocent baby, they don’t know. They don’t know better. She ran, she thought she was playing,” said neighbor Enid Rios.
Luis Vega was one of the witnesses who ran to help after the crash.
“And I come outside and I see a 2-year-old just laying in the middle of the street. So, there’s a lady helping her. I run over, I’ve taken off my shirt, so no shirt and no jacket. Trying to do chest compressions and then a nurse shows up and all three of us are just fighting to help save this kid’s life,” Vega said.
Rios said her husband chased the driver down to pull over.
“He was crying. He was like, ‘Please God, I can’t take a life, I can’t take a life.’ That’s the only thing I heard him saying, crying, he was very remorseful,” Rios said.
The driver is cooperating with police, the department said. Investigators were seen placing evidence markers on the ground Thursday night.
“I held the mother because she didn’t know what to do. She was yelling, ‘My baby, my baby, God don’t take my baby,’” Rios said.
The crash remains under investigation. The girl’s condition was unknown Friday morning.
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