Toddler Run Over By Truck While Mother Watched, Didn't Report Incident
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A California man ran over a toddler with his truck and then drove away from the scene, according to reports. The mother of the baby was present at the scene and witnessed the ordeal.
Footage from a neighbor's home shows 23-month-old Zayliah Medina walking in the yard before stepping in front of the truck while her uncle, 33-year-old Eddie Alvarado, was preparing to start driving. The uncle allegedly ran over the child and fled while the mother rushed to help the baby. The infant was taken to the Valley Children's Hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Doctors said the baby suffered severe head trauma, internal injuries, broken bones and spinal trauma.
Fresno police Chief Jerry Dyer said in a press conference that another relative came after Alvarado and physically assaulted him in retaliation for crushing the baby with the truck and then fleeing, Daily Mail reported.
"Alvarado would not tell us who physically assaulted him," Dyer said. "Information was it was possibly family members who did this in retaliation for what he did to the child."
The mother did not report her brother to the authorities, who learned about the incident after they were called by the hospital where the baby was treated.
“The mother stated that she did not want to get her stepbrother in trouble even though she knew it was an accident, again she knew he was driving without a license,” Dyer said.
Authorities said that while the child’s mother was not negligent in the case, she could face charges for not reporting the incident. Alvarado was charged in the incident and additional charges for trying to avoid police could also be put against him, reports said.
“Had he just simply called the police department and reported the collision, that would’ve been the end of this,” Dyer added. “He would not have been arrested.”
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