Kianna Underwood, former Nickelodeon actress, killed in NYC hit-and-run
Kianna Underwood, a former Nickelodeon child actress, has been identified as the woman killed in a hit-and-run early Friday morning in New York City.
The NYPD confirmed Underwood's death Saturday, adding the 33-year-old was struck by two drivers in Brownsville, Brooklyn, after attempting to cross the street without the right of way.
Police said they were still looking for the drivers involved in the fatality and had not yet made any arrests.
"All That" cast member mourns death of Kianna Underwood
As a young actress, Underwood landed a role on the 10th season of Nickelodeon's "All That."
Actress Angelique Bates, who was part of the show's original cast, remembers meeting Underwood at a cast party in 2005.
"After giving her a hug, I said, You know what? I'm passing the torch to you.' And she was just so happy," Bates said.
In recent years, Underwood struggled with homelessness, police say. Bates raised concerns about Underwood in 2023, pleading for help on Instagram, and believes this tragedy could have been prevented.
"Everything that's happening right now, I pretty much predicted," Bates told CBS News New York. "I said, are people going to wait 'til it's too late? That she's gone or she's in jail?"
Bates hopes Underwood is remembered for her humor and her talent.
"As much as she loved her supporters, as much as she loved the franchise, I think she would have loved to know that that love was reciprocated," she said.
Among other roles, Underwood was also the voice of "Fuchsia Glover" in nearly two dozen episodes of Nickelodeon's "Little Bill" from 1999-2004, according to IMDb.
No arrests made in deadly Brooklyn hit-and-run
According to police, the driver of a black 2021 Ford Explorer had a green light to cross Mother Gaston Boulevard from Pitkin Avenue and crossed the double yellow line to pass a car in front of them at around 6:45 a.m. Friday.
The driver of the Ford then struck Underwood, who police said did not have the signal to cross the intersection at the time, and did not stay at the scene.
Surveillance video shows Underwood waiting for a few seconds before crossing and a dark car in the wrong lane hitting her. It showed Underwood's body rolling out from underneath the Ford near the corner of Pitkin and Osborn Street after she appeared to be dragged for nearly two blocks.
Police said Underwood was struck again by the driver of a black-gray sedan, who also fled.
She was pronounced dead at the scene.
"It's a tragedy," said Andy Sierra, who supervises a store nearby. "She would come around and ask for a couple of dollars here and there. I used to give a couple of dollars and buy her food ... I gave her some clothes and some sneakers last Saturday."
Anyone with any information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip via their website or via DM on X, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.