Toddler killed in hit-and-run crash on Milwaukee's south side



MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- A toddler has died after a hit-and-run crash on Milwaukee's south side on Wednesday, November 27th.

Milwaukee police were called to 6th and Hayes on the city's south side just before 4:30 p.m. Officials say a woman and an 18-month-old girl were both struck by a vehicle. The driver fled the scene. The toddler later died.

Police say the toddler was in her 21-year-old mother's arms, and the two were walking westbound across S. 6th Street in a crosswalk when a rental truck turned southbound onto S. 6th Street from Hayes, striking the mother and child.

We're told the two were headed toward a child care center across the street.

The mother was taken to the hospital for treatment of a non life-threatening injury.

The rental truck was stopped by officers in the 2400 block of S. 7th Street. A 26-year-old man was taken into custody.

FOX6 News spoke with a woman who ran out of a restaurant when she learned there had been a crash.

"I run out there to see if they're okay and it's a mom and her daughter and the mom was okay. She seemed able to move and everything, but the daughter was laying there not moving, like unconscious, so I called the cops right away and they were here within five minutes, and they did what they could. Right before Thanksgiving, right before the holidays -- it's just, it's heartbreaking," Kayla Copus said.

Dawn Marowsky says the woman and toddler were walking to the Guarding Your Angels Childcare Center. Marowsky also rushed out to help the family and block traffic until police arrived.

Marowsky says cars often fly down the street without concern for the center's children and parents.

"I would want the aldermen to take a real serious look at this now and say that it might be time to take a look at putting stop signs in," Marowsky said.

The investigation into this incident is ongoing.