A 10-month-old girl tragically died in Prince William County, Virginia, after falling out of her mother’s vehicle, which rolled onto her head because it was still in drive when the frantic parent rushed to her side, officials said.
The tragic incident happened on Sunday at 1:15 p.m. in Woodbridge, where the 35-year-old woman was driving a 2013 Toyota Highlander with her daughter in the back seat, according to Prince William County police.
With the toddler unbuckled, the mother drove a short distance to a dumpster and then back to a home where they were visiting family — stopping briefly along the way to pick up additional relatives.
“When one of the family members opened the rear door to the vehicle, the unrestrained child fell from the vehicle and onto the roadway,” police said. “The driver immediately exited the vehicle to check on the child’s welfare.”
But in her rush, the mother apparently didn’t apply the emergency brake.
“The vehicle’s transmission was still in drive when the driver exited the vehicle causing it to roll forward where it then struck the child,” police said.
The tragic tot “sustained a serious head injury and was transported to the hospital by the mother,” the agency said, adding that the girl died later in the day.
No charges have been filed in the heartbreaking incident.
The names of the mother and her daughter have not been released due to a change in Virginia law, police said.
