Pasco County Auto Accident Lawyer :: Hudson Mother Backs Over Daughter in Driveway

A 4-year-old girl was struck and killed by an SUV her mother was driving earlier this month, according to Florida Highway Patrol.

The toddler was taken to an area hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Troopers believe the 38-year-old mother backed out of her driveway around 4 p.m. with her daughter in the car.

However, troopers claim that before she accelerated, the woman’s husband ran out of the house to talk to her. The couple apparently chatted for several minutes and did not notice that their daughter had managed to open the car door and exit the vehicle.

The girl walked to the back of her mother’s SUV.

Once the woman was done talking to her husband, she got inside her car and drove off, unaware her daughter was no longer in the car.

She apparently made it about 150 yards down the block before she noticed her husband and neighbors screaming. She then stopped the car and ran back to her daughter.

The girl’s father managed to call 911.

An EMS crew was out on call just around the block, and a neighbor managed to flag them down and they rushed over to help the young girl.

As of now, the case remains under investigation and the mother could face charges, according to FHP. They are currently looking into whether alcohol was a factor in this fatal accident.

A back-over auto accident occurs when the driver of a vehicle backs into someone, usually a person on foot. These types of collisions often occur at low speeds and usually take place when a vehicle is exiting a driveway or parking spot. Sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks are more likely to be involved in back-over accidents than are cars due to the fact that they are higher off the ground and tend to have larger blind spots.

Children are most impacted by back-over auto accidents. Toddlers and young kids can easily end up behind a vehicle and get run over by the family car or a vehicle driven by a friend or neighbor. Back-over accidents usually involve special circumstances that do not come up in regular auto accidents. In many back-over accidents, the driver who causes the injury or death of a child is often a family member, relative or good friend. When family relationships and friendships are involved, this can only further complicate matters.

A Pasco County Auto Accident Attorney at Whittel & Melton understands just how sensitive these situations can be. We stand ready to ready to represent you and your loved ones during this difficult time. To schedule a free consultation to discuss your back-over accident with us, please contact us today at 727-847-2299.

Photo credit: kenjonbro / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA