2-Year-Old Boy Hit By Car After Wandering Alone Away From Home

A 2-year-old boy has been hit by a car while crossing a street alone in west Houston.

The incident took place Sunday at around 3:45 a.m. in the 13800 block of Westheimer Road just east of Highway 6, reported KHOU 11. The police said the toddler had wandered away from his home on his own.

"The story that I have is that the child may have wandered out of the home without anyone knowing," Sgt. Michael Hroch said as per ABC 13.

Prior to the accident, the boy was able to cross all four westbound lanes of traffic in the block. He was struck by a car while he was in the eastbound lanes, according to investigators.

The driver came to a halt and called the police. He remained at the scene until first responders arrived.

The toddler was taken to a local hospital via LifeFlight. The police said the boy's condition was critical.

According to investigators, the family reported the child missing just before the accident took place. As temperatures in the area dropped to the 30s around the time of the incident, the cops said it remains unclear how long the toddler was alone outdoors before being hit.

Upset about the accident, the driver told ABC 13 he was on his way to work when he accidentally struck the child. He added it was too late before he realized a child was on the road.

The cops questioned the family following the incident to investigate the events that led to the boy wandering out all by himself.

In May 2021, a couple was charged after their 3-year-old child was found wandering alone in a parking lot in Maine. The cops were reportedly deployed to the Rockland Ferry Terminal on April 27, 2021, after getting a call about an unsupervised child. Unable to immediately identify the boy's parents, the police took the child to a hospital. It was found that the toddler had been exposed to or ingested illicit drugs. The boy's parents were later identified and the pair was arrested. A large quantity of illegal drugs was recovered from the hotel room where they were staying.