4-Year-Old Critically Injured After Escaping Home and Being Struck by SUV While Under Care of Dad's Girlfriend: Reports
The girlfriend of the child's father, who was caring for the child, has been released from jail after being arrested for alleged child abuse/neglect, according to local media outlets
'She's certainly not out of the woods as of today," Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said of Tanisha Williams, 37, per KSNVA 4-year-old boy in Las Vegas has been hospitalized after being struck by a passing vehicle while they were escaping from a residence, according to reports.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police were alerted to an incident at the intersection of West Lake Mead Boulevard and Jeanne Drive at around 6:22 p.m. local time on Wednesday, May 14, according to a police news release. After gathering witness statements and surveillance video, police concluded a 2005 Mitsubishi Endeavor was approaching in the right two lanes when the child 'darted' into West Lake Mead Blvd.
'Emergency medical personnel transported the juvenile to the University Medical Center's Trauma Center with critical injuries,' per the police news release. Meanwhile, the SUV driver remained on the scene with no sign of injury.
'A couple of broken bones, which is not good, but it could have been a lot worse,' Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said, according to local outlet KSNV. 'This child could have lost his life.'
Tanisha Williams, who was not the driver, was arrested amid the police's investigation and was charged with child abuse/neglect resulting in substantial bodily harm, KSNV reported. The 37-year-old has been identified as the girlfriend of the child's dad, according to Fox 5 Vegas.
She was released from jail after a court appearance on Thursday, with records suggesting that prosecutors may not pursue the charges against her, according to the outlets.
Williams told Fox 5 Vegas that she's 'devastated' by the incident, adding, 'He was asleep when I saw him in the room, he was lying down. So I felt like okay, I am going to sleep, and when he wakes up, I am going to just be with him, of course I wouldn't just leave him unattended.'
She recalled having 'freaked out' when she realized that the toddler had escaped from the home. The property allegedly had a top lock, a bottom lock and a locked gate, Fox 5 Vegas reported.
'I haven't seen him open doors like that,' Williams told the outlet.
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An eyewitness told News 3 Las Vegas that when they saw the child on the floor outside of their home, their 'mom instinct kicked in,' they rushed to put on slippers and join others in aiding the situation.
Neighbor Kevin Smith told the outlet he heard Williams yelling that she was looking for the child. After then sharing what the child who had been struck by a vehicle was wearing, she realized that it was him.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police's investigation remains ongoing.
Wolfson told KSNV that Williams is 'certainly not out of the woods' despite having been released from jail.
'We didn't have the entire case file,' Wolfson told the outlet. 'Our ethical obligation requires us to only file charges if we can prove those charges in a courtroom beyond a reasonable doubt. So sometimes we need more time. That's the practical part of this situation."
He added, 'The child's father is primarily responsible. It's his child he had left, but he still has primary responsibility as to who's watching over his child, and what the circumstances are."
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for an update on the investigation on May 20.
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