Boy, 3, injured in Christmas parade in critical but stable condition

The boy was transferred to Shands Hospital in Florida following the incident.

The boy was transferred to Shands Hospital in Florida following the incident.

A 3-year-old boy was in critical but stable condition after he was seriously injured at the Valdosta Christmas Parade.

The boy was on a parade float Saturday night and either fell off or was trying to get off, Valdosta Police Chief Brian Childress said. He was then run over by one of the float's tires, Childress said.

The float, which belonged to Coastal Plain Schools, was being driven by a driver from A1 Towing.

A1 Towing owner Rhonda Waldroup told the Valdosta Daily Times that each child on the float had an adult supervisor and all of the children were supposed to be sitting down.

“We’re very stricken and very sad that this happened,” Waldroup said. “We’re praying for the family and the child.”

Childress said police officers were immediately on scene, and the boy was taken to South Georgia Medical Center and later transferred to Shands Hospital in Jacksonville, Fla., the paper reported.

Waldroup said the float was being driven by an A1 Towing driver as a favor after the original driver couldn’t make the parade.

Valdosta police are investigating the incident.