HOUSTON – A driver and a toddler's mother were charged Wednesday after the baby was run over and killed by a minivan in southeast Houston.
Houston police said Felipe Hernandez-Ortiz, 29, backed up his minivan at the White Cliff Apartments in the 3400 block of Dover at 6:20 p.m. Tuesday and hit a 20-month-old girl who was playing with her brother.
After he realized he ran over the child, Hernandez-Ortiz fled the scene on foot, police said. He was taken into custody a short time later and charged with accident involving injury or death. Detectives said alcohol was not a factor in the accident.
Police said their investigation determined that the baby was left in the care of her 6-year-old brother and the girl wandered off.
"He saw what happened. He started screaming. Everyone ran over there. All the kids saw the baby and were out here crying and screaming," Janie Rodriguez said. "(The driver) lost it. He ran, called his pastor. His pastor told him to go back. It was an accident."
The children's mother, Antonia Sanchez Soto, 38, was charged with child endangerment.
The baby, whose name was not released, died at the scene.