Authorities in Fresno, California are looking for the man who they believe hit a 23-month-old toddler with his car and drove away.
According to Fox 26, Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer told the media during a press conference on December 20 that they received a 911 call around 10:16 a.m. saying that there was a “hysterical woman in the back of a car.”
However, the 911 caller didn’t know why the woman was hysterical.
Hours later, after receiving a call from a social worker, who was with a mother whose daughter was run over by a vehicle, authorities learned that the mother and hysterical woman found in the back of a car was the same person.
As Fox 26 reports, the 23-month-old little girl was rushed to Community Regional Medical Center where she was stabilized before being transported to Valley Children’s Hospital.
Authorities were later able to get surveillance footage of the incident from a camera placed across the street.
The disturbing video shows the mother talking through the driver’s side window at the driver when her toddler runs around to the front of the vehicle.
The vehicle then starts to drive away as the toddler is still in the way.
After the child was hit by both the front and back tires of the SUV, the mother can be seen rushing to her daughter’s aid and running towards help:
While being questioned by police, the mother 20-year-old Diamante Miranda, initially said that her child was hit by an “unknown vehicle.” However, after they told Diamante that they may have a video showing exactly what happened, the mom later admitted that the driver of the SUV was actually her step-brother.
According to the police chief, Diamante admitted that she didn’t want to get her brother in trouble, adding that the “fact was this was an accident.”
After family member confirmed that the man in the video was, in fact, 33-year-old Eddie Alvarado, also known as Eddie Maranda, police were able to bring him in for questioning.
Eddie also claimed not to have been the guy driving the vehicle until he was told that there was video evidence. He then confessed to being the person who ran over his niece.
According to Fox 26, the child remains in critical condition. She suffered several broken bones and head trauma.
While Diamante has not been charged, Eddie has since been booked into Fresno County Jail. It’s unclear what he has been charged with.
As Police Chief Dyer explained during his press conference, Eddie seemed to be in distressed after realizing what he had done. According to Kids and Cars, from 1989 to 2017, approximately 2,575 children were killed as a result of being hit by a vehicle.
Here are some ways the website suggests to help keep your children safe from “frontovers”:
Walk completely around and behind a vehicle prior to moving it.
Know where your kids are. Make children move away from your vehicle to a place where they are in full view before moving the car and know that another adult is properly supervising children before moving your vehicle.
Teach children that “parked” vehicles might move. Let them know that they can see the vehicle; but the driver might not be able to see them.
Consider installing cross view mirrors, audible collision detectors, rear view video camera and/or some type of front sensor detection device.
Measure the size of your blind zone (area) in front of the vehicle(s) you drive. Many drivers cannot see a young child 6-8 feet in front of larger vehicles.
Be aware that steep inclines and large SUV’s, vans and trucks add to the difficulty of seeing around a vehicle.
Hold children’s hand when leaving the vehicle.
Teach your children to never play in or around a vehicle. • Keep toys and other sports equipment off the driveway.
As Kids and Cars reports, California is one of the states with the highest cases of fatal “frontovers.”
WARNING! Graphic video! Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer holding a news conference at Fresno Police Headquarters to discuss a case involving a hit-and-run on a toddler. Story: http://bit.ly/2Coe0OE
Posted by FOX26 on Wednesday, December 19, 2018