Child killed, woman injured in Florence hit-and-run

A young child died Thursday evening after being struck in Florence by a driver who fled the scene.

Just after 7 p.m., a vehicle described as a red Kia or Honda hit the child and a female pedestrian near the intersection of Firestone Boulevard and Holmes Avenue, said California Highway Patrol Officer Alex Rubio.

Two vehicles were stopped next to each other at a red light when a third vehicle drove between them, ran the light and hit the woman and boy, KTLA-TV Channel 5 reported.

After hitting the pedestrians, the vehicle turned a corner and stopped, according to KTLA. Witnesses said a man and a woman got out of the vehicle and ran. Bystanders chased the woman and held her until authorities arrived, according to KTLA.

The woman, who was the passenger in the vehicle, was detained and was being questioned but was not under arrest, CHP Officer Peter Bishop told The Times late Thursday evening.

The driver of the vehicle had not yet been found, Bishop said.

A watch commander with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Century Station confirmed that the child died. The woman was hospitalized, KTLA reported.

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