Police: Child Fatally Struck By Vehicle Driven By Mother In Delaware County
CHESTER, Pa. (CBS) — Police say a 6-year-old was fatally struck by a vehicle driven by their mother in Chester, Delaware County.
It happened around 9:10 a.m. on the 200 block of Ivy Street.
Chester police say 29-year-old Sharnei Thompson was attempting to load her kids into her care to take them to school.
After she put her 4-year-old child into a car seat, she pulled her car out of a small parking lot into the street so the other children could get inside.
Police say Thompson thought the car was in park and reached behind her to attend to the first child, when the car jolted backward and struck 6-year-old Layla Rodriguez. Another 10-year-old was also struck, but not injured.
"We know at this point that one of the children came out of their car seat, the mother reached to retrieve them, thinking she put the car in park and unfortunately struck the other children," said Chief James Nolan, with the Chester City Police Department.
Thompson drove Layla to Crozer Medical Center where she was pronounced dead.
Police say the young child's death appears to be accidental.
Neighbor Chandra Byrd's son was friends with Layla.
"She was a very sweet little girl and her mom loved her, that was her world," she said.
No charges have been filed at this time.