Indiana Toddler, 4, Fatally Struck by Car While Wandering Alone Onto Highway While Parents Are Asleep

In Indiana, a vehicle tragically hit a 4-year-old boy who had wandered off alone at night and crossed a highway, according to authorities.

According to a statement from the Warrick County Sheriff's Office, Princeton, Indiana resident Braxton Freeze was staying with his mother and her boyfriend at a neighboring business on Monday when he sneaked out while the parents were sound asleep.

Boy, 4, Dies After Wandering Onto Indiana Freeway

Around 4 a.m., the kid was struck and killed by an unknown car early on Monday morning close to Lincoln Avenue on State Road 66. Authorities claim that after striking the child, the motorist dialed 911 and performed CPR, but the child was declared dead at the scene.

NY Post reports that no charges have been filed against the driver, and the sheriff's office is of the view that no drugs nor alcohol were used. Freeze's mother couldn't locate him when she woke up, according to WCSO Sheriff Michael Wilder, but it's uncertain how he got away or when she discovered he was gone.

Although no charges have yet been brought, the inquiry into Freeze's death is still ongoing. According to Chief Deputy Paul Kruse, the driver had no control over the collision. According to the sheriff's office's statement, the Indiana State Police, the Warrick County Coroner's Office, and the Indiana Department of Child Services are working together to coordinate the investigation. The agency also mentioned that the Newburgh Police Department helped it with its first work.

Krause said, "It's a parent's worst nightmare to find out that your child is dead. Everyone involved in the tragedy, including the driver, the child's family, and the first responders who responded to the 911 call this morning are affected."

Another Pedestrian Accident

Meanwhile, a 5-year-old boy who was struck by two vehicles on the Far Northwest Side on Wednesday night is in critical condition. The incident, according to Chicago fire authorities, occurred shortly after 9 p.m. near the corner of Cicero and Devon in the Sauganash district.

Per ABC7 Chicago via MSN, the 5-year-old was in the roadway when he was hit by a red Jeep SUV that was traveling north on Cicero, said the Chicago police. He was subsequently struck a second time by a 2013 Volvo driver who was also traveling north on Cicero.

The Jeep's driver left the scene, while the Volvo's driver remained and made a stop after the accident. The only information provided by CFD was that the boy was hit by a car and brought in critical condition to St. Francis Hospital. Major Accidents is looking into it, according to CPD. The reason the child was in the street when the tragedy happened is also unclear.

In the US, pedestrian deaths are not unusual. In 2020, there were 93 pedestrian fatalities in Indiana alone, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, while there are thousands of pedestrian fatalities nationwide. In 2020, one American perished in a car accident every 75 minutes, The Independent reported.