2-Year-Old Killed In Car Crash As Father Fled After Alleged Walmart Theft

A New Jersey man, allegedly involved in a theft at a Walmart in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, crashed his SUV into another car, then stepped over his injured 2-year-old son's body and left him to die on the road, while trying to flee the scene of the crash in Tullytown on Tuesday afternoon, police said.

Christopher Kuhn, 27, of Hamilton, New Jersey, was arraigned Tuesday night. He faces numerous charges, including third-degree murder, homicide by vehicle, retail theft, reckless driving, endangering the welfare of children, accidents involving death or injury while not properly licensed, recklessly endangering another person, driving on a suspended license and running a red light, NBC 10 Philadelphia reported.

"Here we had a simple retail theft where we would have answered to some charges turned into a fatality," Tullytown Police Chief Daniel Doyle told NBC 10 Philadelphia. "It's tragic."

Kuhn allegedly stole a $228 sound equipment into his cart at the Walmart situated at the Levittown Town Center. He then tried leaving the store without attempting to pay, according to the police.

According to a probable cause affidavit, security personnel at the store tried to detain Kuhn, who had his son, Qaden Trievel, in the cart, but he said "you can't hold me here" and left. Security officers then informed the Tullytown police, according to NBC 10 Philadelphia.

A witness told the police that Kuhn let his son climb into his SUV but did not secure him into a child safety seat. He also allegedly covered his license plate with a sweatshirt. Kuhn, who was driving on a suspended New Jersey license, tried to flee in his car with his son inside before police arrived.

Kuhn ran a red light even when he was not being chased and then crashed into two vehicles, and the impact caused his SUV to roll over several times and the boy was thrown out of the vehicle onto the roadway, CBS News reported.

Kuhn was said to have fled the crash on foot, pausing to look at his son on the roadway, but did not bother to stop, according to the affidavit. "The suspect then stepped over the child who was laying in the roadway and fled the scene," Doyle said. "Officers apprehended him a short distance from the crash."

Officers performed CPR on the child, but he was unresponsive. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead. Police confirmed no one else was hurt in the crash.

NBC10 obtained video of an officer taking a man in custody, identified by police as Kuhn, from a wooded area and leading him away in handcuffs.

In a Facebook post, Qaden's mother Kenzy Trievel shared her grief. "He saved my life and I wish I could have saved his I would give anything to hold him again," she wrote Wednesday. "He was the light to my life and I'll never forget all the laughs and smiles we shared. I just can't believe this happened to you.”

Kuhn's preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Oct. 10 and his bail is set at $5 million.