Girl, 4, Killed In Hit-And-Run

Grandview Police Seeking Brown Pickup Truck

POSTED: 5:38 pm CDT September 19, 2010
UPDATED: 7:45 pm CDT September 20, 2010

GRANDVIEW, Mo. -- Grandview police said a 4-year-old girl was hit and killed by a vehicle that left the scene on Sunday afternoon.

Police said the girl was struck at about 1:30 p.m. in the 6100 block of 152nd Terrace.

"Why would somebody just hit an innocent baby and just drive off like that and not stop and say anything?" neighbor Alisha Jones said.

Jones told KMBC's Marcus Moore that she was among the first to see the girl down in the street. She told her boyfriend, Eric Smith, who called 911.

"She was just bleeding and she was gasping for air. But her eyes weren't open and he was trying to keep her awake," Jones said.

She was taken to a hospital, where she died. Police have not released the girl's name, but family identified her as Taylor Wilson.

Neighbors said Taylor's mother had just left to get lunch, but the mother's boyfriend was still at home. The young girl often played with friends across the street and neighbors believe she was headed back home when she was hit.

"It's sad for somebody to just hit an innocent child and not stop and say anything. That's a baby. Say something," Jones said.

Witnesses said an older midsized brown or brownish-gold pickup truck drove away from the scene. The witnesses told police the truck may have been involved in the incident and police would like to speak with the driver.

Smith, told KMBC's Peggy Breit that he can't stop recalling the last moments of Taylor's life. He was watching the Chiefs game when Jones alerted him to the crash.

"I just picked her up," Smith said. "I tried to just run her over there (to her home) across the street to him (the father) as soon as possible and try to contact the police."

A candlelight vigil is planned for 8:30 p.m. Monday where Taylor was hit. Neighbors hope it will help those hurting heal and lead to the arrest of the driver.

From: http://www.kmbc.com/news/25075969/detail.html