Police found speed and reckless driving were not factors in an accident that left a 3-year-old girl dead after she was hit by an SUV playing outside Wednesday.
The girl, whose name has not been released, was outside the Huntington Terraces apartments at about 6:18 p.m., playing near a community playground in the 4700 block of Buford Highway when an SUV struck and killed her.
An investigation found no evidence of drugs nor alcohol and surveillance video from the apartment’s security cameras showed the driver’s view was obstructed by a steep hill and bushes, Chamblee police Sgt. Chris Newberry said in a news release Thursday.
No charges are expected to be filed against the driver, whose name has not been released.
“The incident was such a slow speed incident and impact so slight that the computer did not record the event,” Newberry said about the video surveillance footage.
The driver of the SUV remained at the scene following the crash cooperated with investigators and took a breath alcohol test, Newberry said.
“We know that the SUV was cresting a steep hill flanked by large bushes which may have prevented the driver from seeing the child come out into the driveway,” he said.
Jose Perez, a 16-year-old boy who called 911 after his brother told him a little girl died, said he was disturbed by the scene immediately following the accident.
“It was the first time in my life this happened,” he said. “This little girl just died like that.”
Police arrived within three minutes of getting the 911 call, Newberry said. Emergency crews arrived two minutes later and pronounced the child dead at the scene.
Both the girl’s parents were inside at the time of the accident, Chamblee police Assistant Chief Michael Beller said.
“A situation like this affects everybody involved,” Beller said. “There’s no way you can be involved in the death of a child and it not stay with you, and yet that doesn’t compare to what the parents are going through right now.”
According to Channel 2 Action News, family and friends last month had a party for the child to celebrate her third birthday.
Now, they are building a memorial for the girl at the scene of the crash, which remains under investigation.
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