Toddler hit, killed in southeast Houston apartment parking lot

By Jay R. Jordan

Updated 4:37 pm CDT, Wednesday, August 14, 2019

A boy almost 2 years old was hit and killed in a southeast Houston apartment complex parking lot Wednesday.

A loved one was escorting the boy through the parking lot at the Big Red Apartments in the 6300 block of Tierwester, just north of Old Spanish Trail, around 1:20 p.m. when the boy fell behind, Houston Police Department Cmdr. Salam Zia said. At the same time, a driver who was backing out of a parking spot did not see the child and hit him, Zia said.

The driver left the scene, although Zia said it was not immediately clear if she realized what had happened. The driver ultimately returned to the scene about an hour after the collision and was seen participating in a field sobriety test, which is standard in any fatal vehicle incident, Zia said.

“We feel their pain,” Zia said. “Anytime we lose a child or anyone in the community, we feel that.”

Zia urged drivers to pay attention when in parking lots, and urged parents to keep a close eye on their children.

“Keep kids close to you. Know where they’re at, watch them, don’t leave them by themselves. Kids will be kids.”

The boy’s identity was not immediately released.

Jay R. Jordan covers breaking news in the Houston area. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com | Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan | Email him at [email protected] | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message