8-Month-Old Baby Dies After Being Run Over by Parent’s Car in Jacksonville
An 8-month-old baby tragically died Saturday morning after being placed on the ground at an intersection and accidentally run over by a car believed to have been driven by one of the infant’s parents, according to authorities.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) reported that the incident occurred around 11 a.m. at the intersection of Lenox and McDuff Avenues near the Riverside neighborhood.
Officials said the incident followed a heated argument between a man and a woman traveling with the child. During the altercation, the driver reportedly stopped the car, opened the door, and placed the baby on the ground. Moments later, the driver drove off, striking the infant with the vehicle.
Emergency responders rushed the baby to a local hospital, where the child was pronounced dead.
The driver, whose identity has not been released, is in police custody, and an investigation into the incident is ongoing. Authorities have not clarified whether the driver was the child’s mother or father.
The tragedy has shocked the Jacksonville community, drawing attention to the dangers of domestic disputes and their devastating consequences.
Another Child Killed in Separate Shooting Incident
The infant’s death occurred just hours after another tragic incident claimed the life of a child in Jacksonville. On Friday night, 7-year-old Breon Allen was fatally shot in a drive-by shooting that also critically injured 21-year-old Lafayette Mango Jr.
Police reported that a car pulled up next to Allen and Mango Jr. as they walked together, spraying them with bullets before fleeing the scene.
The shocking violence prompted Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan to issue a statement Saturday morning.
“Our city mourns the heartbreaking loss of a 7-year-old boy whose life was tragically taken in a senseless shooting,” said Deegan. “This heartless violence has absolutely no place in our city. I am praying for his family as they experience the unthinkable pain of losing a child this way, and I urge anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers.”
Authorities are urging anyone with information on either case to come forward as investigations continue. The community has been left reeling from the back-to-back tragedies, which underscore ongoing concerns about violence and child safety in the area.