A 3-year-old girl died after she and her grandmother, who was in a motorized wheelchair, were struck by a vehicle Tuesday evening in DeKalb County.
The accident happened on Covington Highway at Paul Edwin Drive as the two were attempting to cross the street, witnesses told the AJC. The two were not in a crosswalk.
Neighbors said the woman and child were returning to an apartment complex after buying groceries. The child was identified as Kelseyana Thrower by Channel 2 Action News.
Lelia Dennard said she was in her car waiting to turn when the pair crossed the street.
"The little girl was hanging on to the back of the wheelchair," Dennard said. "She waved at me and I waved at her."
As soon as she pulled through the intersection, Dennard said she heard a loud smash and bang, knowing instantly the pair had been hit. She pulled into a parking lot, grabbed her grandchild, and walked to within feet of the crash site.
She saw the woman lying in the road and a mangled wheelchair, but not the little girl.
"Where's the little girl? Where's the little girl?" Dennard said she yelled out to others.
Another person who stopped found Kelseyana, who had been thrown several feet, Dennard said. The child was given CPR at the scene and was transported by ambulance to a local hospital, but did not survive, police at the scene told Channel 2 Action News.
The child's grandmother was transported to Grady Memorial Hospital for treatment of serious injuries, police said.
"It was a bad, bad wreck," Andrew Akwete told the AJC.
Akwete works at the Advance Auto Parts and said the two were struck by an SUV in front of the business around 5:30 p.m.
The woman hit was temporarily trapped under the vehicle, but was freed, Akwete said.
"I heard her talking," Akwete said.
Covington Highway was temporarily blocked in both directions during the rescue and investigation.
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