A 3-year-old boy who died after his mother accidentally ran over him with her car as she attempted a parking maneuver has been identified by the San Diego County Medical Examiner.
The ME’s office confirmed the boy was Escondido resident Gerardo Sosa. He had just turned three last month, according to the ME’s report.
On Thursday evening, the boy’s mother was parking her car in a cul-de-sac in the 400 block of West Fourth Avenue. Somehow, Gerardo unfastened himself from his car seat and got out of the car.
Escondido police said the mother was unaware that the boy had exited the vehicle. When she pulled forward to park, she hit him. The woman took Gerardo to Palomar Medical Center, but he was pulseless when he arrived. He died shortly thereafter from blunt force injuries to the head sustained in the tragic accident.
The ME’s report said the mother felt like she had ran over an object after the collision. When she stopped her car, she noticed Gerardo was not in his car seat. When she got out of the car, she saw Gerardo on the ground with blood on his face.
The collision remains under investigation, but police do not believe drugs or alcohol played a factor.
NBC 7 spoke with witnesses at the scene of the accident Thursday who described the accident as chaotic, with family members screaming and crying at the sight of the wounded boy.
"From a father's point of view that is the scariest thing anyone can go through," said neighbor Andre Mendez. "My son is 7 and I feel bad. Very bad for her."
