After a 2-year-old boy was fatally struck by a pickup truck, law enforcement officials in Annapolis said Wednesday they believe it was a tragic accident.
Around 4 p.m. Tuesday, the Annapolis Police Department received several calls regarding a child being struck by a vehicle in the parking lot of an Eastport apartment complex in the 600 block of Americana Drive, according to a department news release.
The toddler’s mother placed the 2-year-old on the sidewalk when she went to get her other child from a vehicle. The 2-year-old then wandered into the parking lot and was struck by the truck, according to Miguel Dennis, the Annapolis Police Department’s public information officer.
“It’s a sad day in the city of Annapolis,” Annapolis Police Chief Ed Jackson said during a press conference, adding that his heart “is heavy because the reality is, it’s every parent’s worst nightmare.”
Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley called the accident devastating. “I offer my deepest condolences on the loss of this bright young life,” he said in a statement.
Initially, the incident was being investigated as a hit-and-run, though police were unsure if the driver was aware the truck had hit the child. The driver learned of the incident and contacted the police, Jackson said.
In a statement, Buckley thanked the driver for “doing the right thing.”
The Police Department, with consultation from the Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office, have determined that this was an accident.
“We have no information that there was criminal intent at this time to harm the child,” Jackson said.
During the press conference, Jackson asked “that everybody remains civil” and not partake in vigilantism or retaliation.
“We want to make sure we are doing everything we can to support the family in this time of grief,” Buckley said.
This story has been updated to correct the law enforcement agency that handled the calls about the child being struck.
