HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — A toddler died after being hit by an Uber driver in north Harris County, according to Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.
It happened just before 1 p.m. at the Greenbriar on the Bayou Apartments on Waverly Drive near Greens Road.
Gonzalez said the driver was dropping off a family, including two adults, a child, and the now-deceased toddler. The passengers exited the vehicle and the driver proceeded to go forward.
The driver didn't know the toddler was in front of the vehicle when he drove forward, according to Gonzalez.
Surveillance video showed one adult and a 6-year-old child exiting the backseat on the driver's side and another exiting on the passenger's side. As they start to walk away from the vehicle, the toddler can be seen coming around the front of the car from the passenger side trailing the adult.
Investigators said the toddler was not visible to the driver when he began to pull forward. The child was hit and was stuck under the vehicle.
A neighbor, who didn't want to be identified, told KHOU 11 News they rushed to help the young girl.
"I seen a baby on the ground bleeding with a bunch of people hollering. The first thing I said was just give me my keys because I don’t want to wait on no ambulance," they said.
The sheriff said family members pulled the driver out of the vehicle and began to assault him. The rideshare driver was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The toddler was transported to the hospital, where she later died.
"I got blood all in my car, blood on the side of my car. I tried to save her, but I hate she gone man," the neighbor said.
The little girl was just a few months shy of her 2nd birthday.
"Nobody wanted that to happen, nobody want to hurt a kid," the neighbor said.
Lt. K. Benoit with the sheriff's office's vehicular crimes division said this serves as a reminder to be more alert.
"We as parents, relatives, custodians of children, we have to just be a lot more alert, hold their hands, guide them to a safe place and then watch the driver pull away," he said.
This is an ongoing investigation. At this time, no arrests have been made and it's too early to say if charges will be filed.
The sheriff's office said the driver is cooperating with the investigation and did not show signs of impairment.
We reached out to Uber and they sent the following statement.
“The details of what’s been reported is heartbreaking, and our thoughts go out to the victim’s family. We have removed the driver’s access to the platform while this investigation is ongoing and are standing by to assist police however we can.”