Not In Car Seat: 8-Month-Old Baby Fell Out Of Open Car Door Before Being Struck And Killed, Irving Police Say
IRVING, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - The 8-month-old baby who was struck and killed after falling out of a moving vehicle on Sunday, was not restrained in any type of car seat, Irving Police said Monday, Nov. 15.
According to investigators, the mom of the child, who was driving the car, could eventually face a range of charges, including child endangerment.
Three other children - ages 6, 3, and 2 – were also in the car at the time. None of them were secured in seatbelts or child safety seats either.
Police say the infant fell out of the back right passenger door of the car, as it was turning left onto Ranchview Drive from MacArthur Boulevard around 10:30 a.m. Sunday morning. Another car then ran over the infant and continued driving.
"We do not believe there was any malicious intent," said Officer Robert Reeves with the Irving Police Department. "We are not calling it a hit-and-run because we don't think the person that ran over the child knows they ran over that child. We are just asking that anybody that was in the area, around 10:30 Sunday morning, to definitely contact us."
Investigators are interviewing the mom and the other children who were inside the car. Right now, it's unclear if one of the kids accidentally opened the door or if it was ever fully closed.
"We just know that a very tragic incident occurred where somehow, because of something that happened inside that vehicle, an 8-month-old was able to fall out of the car," Reeves said. "That in and of itself is the main thing that is just heartbreaking."
Reeves says it's a tragic reminder for anyone who has young kids in their life that they have to be properly restrained inside a car.
"Whether the child wants to or not shouldn't be the reason whether or not the child is secured in the car," he said. "Whoever is operating that vehicle, it's their responsibility to make sure all children are in the age-appropriate seats they're required to be in."
Child Protective Services has been notified about what happened and is also investigating the child's death.
Police are checking all nearby businesses to see if any of them caught the incident on surveillance video.
